Pat Cummins has taken over 300 dismissals in 71 Test matches with an average of 22.10.
Australia's selection chief George Bailey has stated that skipper Cummins will have a crucial role in this winter's England-Australia contest.
Rumors had circulated that the 32-year-old might sit out due to a stress fracture in his back that had not yet healed.
Earlier indications from the squad suggested no official announcement had been made regarding whether he would play, with the extended contest set to start on November 21 in the WACA.
Bailey expressed that the captain is progressing and remained hopeful about his chances of participating.
"We know that the clock is ticking and there are permutations involved, not just his injury, but further aspects," Bailey remarked.
"It's positive. We firmly believe that he'll participate in a significant role. With luck starting in Perth. If not, we'll reassess."
Previous Setbacks
The captain missed Australia's limited-overs series against India and New Zealand last month after scans revealed a lumbar bone stress.
He has a history of back injuries, with recurrences in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 forcing him out of multiple domestic campaigns in four years.
He emphasized he would be proactive in his approach in his recovery plan to ensure his availability for the contest.
Bailey noted that he did not know if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his comeback but conceded it was "pressing" for him to recover fully for the initial match.
Contingency Plans
In case of absence, veteran batsman Smith will take over the captaincy.
Versatile player Green was excluded lately from Australia's squad for their one-day international series against India as a safety move because of soreness in his side.
Bailey described it as a "slight concern and mentioned that Green will play in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "well-prepared to deliver overs."
"Considerable effort has gone into developing the strategy for him to participate for the first Test as an dual-role player," Bailey explained.
"His involvement was limited to the initial matches anyway. How he handles the willow in shorter formats, even if it just sets him back for 24 more hours, we opted to adopt a safer strategy."
Fixture Details
The Historic Rivalry
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
