Pat Cummins has secured over 300 dismissals in 71 appearances with an average of 22.10.
The Australian chair of selectors Bailey has stated that skipper Cummins will have a crucial role in the upcoming England-Australia contest.
Rumors had circulated that the 32-year-old might be unavailable due to a ongoing back issue that remained unresolved.
Earlier indications from the Australian camp suggested no final decision had been made regarding his involvement, with the extended contest set to start on November 21 in Western Australia.
The selector shared that his recovery is on track and was "optimistic" about his chances of taking part.
"We know that time is getting short and multiple considerations around that, not only his injury, but further aspects," Bailey remarked.
"The outlook is good. We firmly believe that he's going to play a key capacity. Hopefully starting in Perth. If not, then we'll pick it up."
Past Concerns
He was sidelined the ODI and T20 games against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals in the previous weeks after medical tests showed a lower back issue.
There is a track record of spinal problems, with flare-ups in several earlier campaigns causing him to miss three Australian summers in a limited period.
The bowler mentioned he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his rehabilitation process to make the squad for the contest.
He mentioned that there was no confirmation if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his comeback but conceded it was "getting tight" for him to regain fitness for the initial match.
Backup Options
If he's unavailable, veteran batsman Smith will lead the side.
All-rounder Cameron Green was recently pulled out from the national team for their limited-overs matches against the Asian giants as a safety move because of discomfort in his torso.
He labeled it as a "slight concern and stated that Green will play in the state-level matches, so will be "in a good place to be ready to bowl."
"Considerable effort has gone into creating the schedule for him to participate for the initial game as an all-rounder," the selector detailed.
"He was only going to play the initial matches anyway. His aggressive style the willow in shorter formats, should it hinder progress for another day, we opted to approach this more conservatively."
Match Calendar
The Historic Rivalry
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
