Pat Cummins has claimed over 300 dismissals in 71 five-day games with an impressive average.
The Australian selection chief Bailey has confirmed that skipper Cummins will play a "major part" in the forthcoming England-Australia contest.
Speculation had been growing that Cummins might sit out due to a stress fracture in his back that had not yet healed.
Previous updates from the Australian camp suggested no definitive call had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the extended contest kicking off on 21 November in the WACA.
Bailey expressed that the captain is progressing and remained hopeful about his chances of taking part.
"We know that the clock is ticking and there are permutations at play, aside from the back issue, but further aspects," the selector added.
"It's positive. We firmly believe that he will feature a significant role. With luck from the opening match. If not, we'll adjust."
Injury History
The captain missed the ODI and T20 games against India and New Zealand recently after scans revealed a stress reaction in his back.
Previous incidents include of back injuries, with flare-ups in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 causing him to miss several home seasons in a limited period.
He emphasized he would be bold in recovery efforts in his recovery plan to secure his spot for the series.
The selector indicated that he did not know if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his comeback but admitted it was "pressing" for him to recover fully for the initial match.
Alternative Arrangements
In case of absence, veteran batsman Smith will assume leadership.
Versatile player Green was excluded lately from the ODI lineup for their limited-overs matches against the Asian giants as a safety move because of soreness in his side.
The selector characterized it as a "small issue and mentioned that Green will play in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "in a good place to deliver overs."
"We put so much time has gone into building out the plan for him to take part for the opening match as an dual-role player," he elaborated.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the initial matches regardless. His aggressive style the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, should it hinder progress for a short period, the choice was made to adopt a safer strategy."
Fixture Details
The Historic Rivalry
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
