The Australian skipper has taken 309 wickets in 71 appearances with an stellar bowling average.
Australia's chief selector the selector has declared that captain Pat Cummins will have a crucial role in this winter's historic rivalry.
Rumors had circulated that the 32-year-old might sit out due to a persistent back stress problem that remained unresolved.
Earlier indications from the Australian camp suggested no definitive call had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the Test matches set to start on 21 November in the WACA.
He revealed that the captain is progressing and was "optimistic" about his chances of being involved.
"It's clear that the window is narrowing and multiple considerations involved, aside from the back issue, but other factors as well," the selector added.
"The outlook is good. There's strong faith that he will feature a significant role. With luck from the opening match. If not, we'll adjust."
Past Concerns
Cummins was ruled out Australia's limited-overs series against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals last month after examinations confirmed a lumbar bone stress.
There is a track record of spinal problems, with flare-ups in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 causing him to miss three Australian summers in a limited period.
He emphasized he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his comeback strategy to ensure his availability for the contest.
Bailey noted that it was unclear if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his recovery but conceded it was "becoming urgent" for him to regain fitness for the first Test.
Contingency Plans
If he's unavailable, ex-skipper Smith will lead the side.
The talented all-rounder was excluded lately from the ODI lineup for their one-day international series against India as a precautionary measure because of soreness in his side.
The selector characterized it as a "small issue and stated that he'll feature in the state-level matches, so will be "well-prepared to be ready to bowl."
"Considerable effort has gone into creating the schedule for him to be available for the initial game as an dual-role player," Bailey explained.
"He was only going to play the first two ODIs anyway. His aggressive style the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, should it hinder progress for 24 more hours, the choice was made to adopt a safer strategy."
Series Schedule
The Historic Rivalry
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
