Pat Cummins has taken 309 wickets in 71 Test matches with an average of 22.10.
Australia's chair of selectors Bailey has declared that pace spearhead Cummins will have a crucial role in the upcoming England-Australia contest.
There were concerns that Cummins might miss the series due to a ongoing back issue that was still troubling him.
Earlier indications from team management suggested no official announcement had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the Test matches set to start on 21 November in Perth.
The selector shared that the captain is progressing and felt positive about his chances of being involved.
"We're aware that time is getting short and multiple considerations at play, not only the back issue, but other factors as well," he commented.
"It's positive. We firmly believe that he's going to play a major part. Ideally it's the first Test. Should that not happen, then we'll pick it up."
Previous Setbacks
The captain missed Australia's limited-overs series against New Zealand and India last month after examinations confirmed a lower back issue.
There is a track record of spinal problems, with recurrences in several earlier campaigns forcing him out of multiple domestic campaigns in a limited period.
The bowler mentioned he would be bold in recovery efforts in his recovery plan to make the squad for the contest.
He mentioned that there was no confirmation if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his rehabilitation but acknowledged it was "getting tight" for him to regain fitness for the initial match.
Contingency Plans
In case of absence, veteran batsman Smith will take over the captaincy.
Versatile player Green was recently pulled out from Australia's squad for their ODI contests against the subcontinent side as a preventive step because of soreness in his side.
Bailey described it as a "slight concern and mentioned that he's scheduled to appear in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "ideally positioned to deliver overs."
"Considerable effort has gone into building out the plan for him to be available for the opening match as an all-rounder," Bailey explained.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the initial matches regardless. How he handles the bat in limited-overs, should it hinder progress for another day, we just made the decision to adopt a safer strategy."
Match Calendar
The Historic Rivalry
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
