The Australian skipper has claimed 309 Test scalps in 71 five-day games with an stellar bowling average.
The Australian chief selector Bailey has confirmed that captain Pat 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 ongoing back issue that was still troubling him.
Earlier indications from the squad suggested no official announcement had been made regarding whether he would play, with the five-Test series set to start on the 21st of November in the WACA.
He revealed that his recovery is on track and was "optimistic" about his chances of taking part.
"It's clear that the window is narrowing and various factors around that, not just his injury, but other factors as well," he commented.
"It's positive. We firmly believe that he will feature a major part. Hopefully it's the first Test. Otherwise, we'll reassess."
Past Concerns
The captain missed Australia's limited-overs series against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals in the previous weeks after scans revealed a lumbar bone stress.
He has a history of recurring issues, with setbacks in multiple past seasons leading to absences from multiple domestic campaigns in four years.
The bowler mentioned he would be proactive in his approach in his rehabilitation process to secure his spot for the series.
The selector indicated that he did not know if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his rehabilitation but conceded it was "getting tight" for him to recover fully for the initial match.
Contingency Plans
If he's unavailable, ex-skipper Smith will take over the captaincy.
Versatile player Green was recently pulled out from the national team for their ODI contests against the Asian giants as a precautionary measure because of discomfort in his torso.
He labeled it as a "slight concern and confirmed 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 creating the schedule for him to take part for the opening match as an all-rounder," he elaborated.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the initial matches in any case. The way he swings the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, even if it just sets him back for a short period, we just made the decision to approach this more conservatively."
Match Calendar
The Historic Rivalry
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
