Pat Cummins has claimed 309 wickets in 71 five-day games with an average of 22.10.
The Australian selection chief the selector has stated that skipper Cummins will be a central figure in the upcoming England-Australia contest.
There were concerns that the veteran bowler might be unavailable due to a persistent back stress problem that had not yet healed.
Initial reports from the squad suggested no official announcement had been made regarding whether he would play, with the Test matches set to start on 21 November in the WACA.
The selector shared that his recovery is on track and remained hopeful about the likelihood of participating.
"It's clear that the clock is ticking and various factors at play, not only the physical problem, but other factors as well," the selector added.
"The outlook is good. We firmly believe that he'll participate in a key capacity. Ideally it's the first Test. If not, then we'll pick it up."
Previous Setbacks
He was sidelined the white-ball matches against New Zealand and India in the previous weeks after scans revealed a stress reaction in his back.
Previous incidents include of recurring issues, with setbacks in several earlier campaigns causing him to miss several home seasons in a short span.
The bowler mentioned he would be proactive in his approach in his rehabilitation process to ensure his availability for the contest.
The selector indicated that there was no confirmation if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his comeback but conceded it was "becoming urgent" for him to regain fitness for the initial match.
Contingency Plans
In case of absence, veteran batsman Smith will lead the side.
All-rounder Cameron Green was excluded lately from the national team for their limited-overs matches against the subcontinent side as a safety move because of an abdominal issue.
He labeled it as a "minor" injury and stated that he's scheduled to appear in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "in a good place to resume bowling."
"Considerable effort has gone into developing the strategy for him to participate for the initial game as an all-rounder," Bailey explained.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the starting games anyway. How he handles the willow in shorter formats, should it hinder progress for 24 more hours, we opted to adopt a safer strategy."
Series Schedule
The Historic Rivalry
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
