Pat Cummins has claimed 309 wickets in 71 appearances with an impressive average.
The Australian selection chief Bailey has stated that captain Pat Cummins will have a crucial role in the upcoming England-Australia contest.
Rumors had circulated that the 32-year-old might miss the series due to a ongoing back issue that had not yet healed.
Initial reports from team management suggested no official announcement had been made regarding his involvement, with the Test matches scheduled to begin on November 21 in the WACA.
He revealed that his recovery is on track and was "optimistic" about his chances of being involved.
"It's clear that the clock is ticking and various factors at play, not just the physical problem, but additional elements," Bailey remarked.
"It's positive. We firmly believe that he'll participate in a major part. Ideally from the opening match. If not, then we'll pick it up."
Previous Setbacks
Cummins was ruled out the white-ball matches against India and New Zealand recently after examinations confirmed a stress reaction in his back.
There is a track record of spinal problems, with setbacks in several earlier campaigns leading to absences from several home seasons in four years.
The bowler mentioned he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his rehabilitation process to ensure his availability for the series.
He mentioned that it was unclear if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his comeback but acknowledged it was "becoming urgent" for him to recover fully for the first Test.
Backup Options
In case of absence, ex-skipper Smith will take over the captaincy.
Versatile player Green was recently pulled out from the national team for their limited-overs matches against the Asian giants as a precautionary measure because of discomfort in his torso.
The selector characterized it as a "small issue and mentioned that he'll feature in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "in a good place to resume bowling."
"Extensive planning has gone into building out the plan for him to be available for the first Test as an dual-role player," he elaborated.
"He was only going to play the initial matches anyway. His aggressive style the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, even if it just sets him back for 24 more hours, we opted to adopt a safer strategy."
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The Historic Rivalry
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