Pat Cummins has secured over 300 dismissals in 71 Test matches with an average of 22.10.
Australia's chair of selectors George Bailey has stated that captain Pat Cummins will play a "major part" in the upcoming historic rivalry.
Rumors had circulated that the veteran bowler might sit out due to a persistent back stress problem that had not yet healed.
Previous updates from the Australian camp suggested no final decision had been made regarding whether he would play, with the extended contest set to start on 21 November in Western Australia.
Bailey expressed that his recovery is on track and remained hopeful about the prospects of participating.
"It's clear that the clock is ticking and various factors around that, aside from the back issue, but additional elements," Bailey remarked.
"It's positive. We firmly believe that he'll participate in a major part. Ideally from the opening match. Otherwise, we'll reassess."
Injury History
Cummins was ruled out the ODI and T20 games against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals recently after medical tests showed a lower back issue.
He has a history of back injuries, with flare-ups in several earlier campaigns forcing him out of three Australian summers in a limited period.
The bowler mentioned he would be proactive in his approach in his recovery plan to make the squad for the contest.
The selector indicated that it was unclear if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his rehabilitation but admitted it was "pressing" for him to regain fitness for the opener.
Backup Options
Should Cummins not be fit, former captain Steve Smith will assume leadership.
Versatile player Green was excluded lately from Australia's squad for their one-day international series against India as a safety move because of an abdominal issue.
Bailey described it as a "small issue and mentioned that he's scheduled to appear in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "in a good place to resume bowling."
"We put so much time has gone into creating the schedule for him to participate for the opening match as an batting and bowling option," he elaborated.
"His involvement was limited to the initial matches anyway. How he handles the bat in limited-overs, even if it just sets him back for 24 more hours, we opted to take a cautious route."
Fixture Details
The Historic Rivalry
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
