Pat Cummins has taken 309 Test scalps in 71 Test matches with an average of 22.10.
Australia's selection chief the selector has stated that skipper Cummins will be a central figure in the forthcoming historic rivalry.
There were concerns that the 32-year-old might be unavailable due to a stress fracture in his back that remained unresolved.
Initial reports from team management suggested no definitive call had been made regarding whether he would play, with the Test matches set to start on 21 November in Western Australia.
The selector shared that Cummins is "building up" and felt positive about his chances of participating.
"It's clear that the clock is ticking and various factors at play, not only the physical problem, but additional elements," the selector added.
"It's positive. [We are] really confident that he'll participate in a major part. Hopefully starting in Perth. Should that not happen, we'll adjust."
Previous Setbacks
Cummins was ruled out Australia's limited-overs series against New Zealand and India recently after medical tests showed a stress reaction in his back.
Previous incidents include of recurring issues, with setbacks in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 forcing him out of several home seasons in four years.
He emphasized he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his recovery plan to make the squad for the series.
Bailey noted that he did not know if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his recovery but acknowledged it was "becoming urgent" for him to regain fitness for the opener.
Contingency Plans
Should Cummins not be fit, ex-skipper Smith will assume leadership.
Versatile player Green was excluded lately from Australia's squad for their limited-overs matches against India as a preventive step because of an abdominal issue.
He labeled it as a "slight concern and stated that he'll feature 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 batting and bowling option," Bailey explained.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the first two ODIs in any case. The way he swings the bat in limited-overs, should it hinder progress for a short period, we just made the decision to adopt a safer strategy."
Series Schedule
The Historic Rivalry
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
