The Australian skipper has secured over 300 dismissals in 71 five-day games with an stellar bowling average.
The Australian selection chief Bailey has confirmed that captain Pat Cummins will be a central figure in this winter's historic rivalry.
Rumors had circulated that Cummins might be unavailable due to a stress fracture in his back that was still troubling him.
Initial reports from team management suggested no official announcement had been made regarding whether he would play, with the extended contest scheduled to begin on 21 November in Western Australia.
He revealed that Cummins is "building up" and felt positive about his chances of participating.
"We know that time is getting short and there are permutations involved, not just the back issue, but other factors as well," he commented.
"The outlook is good. [We are] really confident that he's going to play a key capacity. Ideally it's the first Test. Otherwise, then we'll pick it up."
Previous Setbacks
He was sidelined the ODI and T20 games against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals last month after scans revealed a stress reaction in his back.
Previous incidents include of recurring issues, with recurrences in multiple past seasons forcing him out of three Australian summers in a short span.
Cummins stated he would be bold in recovery efforts in his comeback strategy to ensure his availability for the contest.
He mentioned that he did not know if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his rehabilitation but admitted it was "becoming urgent" for him to regain fitness for the initial match.
Backup Options
In case of absence, former captain Steve Smith will lead the side.
The talented all-rounder was withdrawn recently from the ODI lineup for their ODI contests against the Asian giants as a precautionary measure because of soreness in his side.
The selector characterized it as a "small issue and confirmed that he's scheduled to appear in the state-level matches, so will be "well-prepared to be ready to bowl."
"Extensive planning has gone into creating the schedule for him to take part for the opening match as an dual-role player," he elaborated.
"His involvement was limited to the first two ODIs regardless. His aggressive style the bat in limited-overs, if it causes any delay for another day, we opted to take a cautious route."
Fixture Details
The Historic Rivalry
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
