The Australian skipper has secured over 300 dismissals in 71 five-day games with an stellar bowling average.
The Australian chief selector Bailey has declared that captain Pat Cummins will play a "major part" in the forthcoming England-Australia contest.
There were concerns that the veteran bowler might be unavailable due to a ongoing back issue that remained unresolved.
Previous updates from the squad suggested no official announcement had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the five-Test series kicking off on the 21st of November in Perth.
He revealed that the captain is progressing and felt positive about the likelihood of participating.
"It's clear that time is getting short and there are permutations involved, aside from his injury, but other factors as well," he commented.
"The outlook is good. There's strong faith that he's going to play a significant role. With luck it's the first Test. Should that not happen, we'll adjust."
Past Concerns
He was sidelined the white-ball matches against New Zealand and India recently after medical tests showed a lower back issue.
There is a track record of spinal problems, with setbacks in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 forcing him out of several home seasons in a short span.
Cummins stated he would be bold in recovery efforts in his recovery plan to ensure his availability for the contest.
The selector indicated that there was no confirmation if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his rehabilitation but conceded it was "pressing" for him to recover fully for the initial match.
Contingency Plans
In case of absence, former captain Steve Smith will lead the side.
The talented all-rounder was excluded lately from Australia's squad for their limited-overs matches against the Asian giants as a precautionary measure because of an abdominal issue.
He labeled it as a "minor" injury and confirmed that he's scheduled to appear in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "in a good place to resume bowling."
"We put so much time has gone into creating the schedule for him to participate for the initial game as an dual-role player," Bailey explained.
"His involvement was limited to the starting games anyway. How he handles the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, even if it just sets him back for another day, we opted to take a cautious route."
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The Historic Rivalry
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
