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Australia's chair of selectors Bailey has stated that pace spearhead Cummins will play a "major part" in the upcoming historic rivalry.

There were concerns that the veteran bowler might be unavailable due to a ongoing back issue that was still troubling him.

Previous updates from team management suggested no final decision had been made regarding whether he would play, with the Test matches kicking off on 21 November in Western Australia.

The selector shared that his recovery is on track and remained hopeful about his chances of participating.

"It's clear that the window is narrowing and various factors involved, not only the back issue, but further aspects," he commented.

"We're encouraged. [We are] really confident that he's going to play a major part. Hopefully it's the first Test. Should that not happen, we'll adjust."

Previous Setbacks

The captain missed the white-ball matches against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals last month after medical tests showed a lower back issue.

There is a track record of recurring issues, with flare-ups in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 forcing him out of multiple domestic campaigns in a short span.

Cummins stated he would be bold in recovery efforts in his recovery plan to ensure his availability for the contest.

Bailey noted that there was no confirmation if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his comeback but admitted it was "pressing" for him to be fit for the first Test.

Backup Options

Should Cummins not be fit, veteran batsman Smith will take over the captaincy.

Versatile player Green was withdrawn recently from Australia's squad for their one-day international series against the subcontinent side as a safety move because of an abdominal issue.

Bailey described it as a "small issue and stated that he's scheduled to appear in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "in a good place to deliver overs."

"Extensive planning has gone into creating the schedule for him to participate for the opening match as an batting and bowling option," Bailey explained.

"He was only going to play the initial matches in any case. The way he swings the bat in limited-overs, should it hinder progress for a short period, we opted to take a cautious route."

Series Schedule

The Historic Rivalry

Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026