Pat Cummins has secured 309 wickets in 71 Test matches with an average of 22.10.
Australia's chair of selectors George Bailey has declared that captain Pat Cummins will be a central figure in the upcoming historic rivalry.
Rumors had circulated that the 32-year-old might miss the series due to a stress fracture in his back that remained unresolved.
Initial reports from team management suggested no definitive call had been made regarding whether he would play, with the extended contest kicking off on 21 November in the WACA.
Bailey expressed that Cummins is "building up" and felt positive about his chances of being involved.
"It's clear that time is getting short and there are permutations involved, not just his injury, but further aspects," the selector added.
"It's positive. We firmly believe that he will feature a major part. Hopefully from the opening match. Should that not happen, we'll reassess."
Injury History
The captain missed the ODI and T20 games against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals last month after scans revealed a lumbar bone stress.
Previous incidents include of spinal problems, with recurrences in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 leading to absences from three Australian summers in a limited period.
The bowler mentioned he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his comeback strategy to ensure his availability for the series.
Bailey noted that he did not know if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his recovery but admitted it was "pressing" for him to be fit for the opener.
Backup Options
In case of absence, veteran batsman Smith will assume leadership.
Versatile player Green was recently pulled out from Australia's squad for their ODI contests against the subcontinent side as a safety move because of soreness in his side.
The selector characterized it as a "slight concern and confirmed that he'll feature in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "well-prepared to deliver overs."
"Extensive planning has gone into building out the plan for him to participate for the opening match as an batting and bowling option," Bailey explained.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the starting games anyway. His aggressive style the bat in limited-overs, should it hinder progress for another day, the choice was made to take a cautious route."
Fixture Details
The Historic Rivalry
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
