🔗 Share this article

Australia's selection chief Bailey has confirmed that skipper Cummins will play a "major part" in the forthcoming historic rivalry.

Rumors had circulated that Cummins might miss the series due to a persistent back stress problem that had not yet healed.

Earlier indications from team management suggested no final decision had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the Test matches kicking off on November 21 in Western Australia.

He revealed that his recovery is on track and was "optimistic" about his chances of participating.

"It's clear that time is getting short and various factors involved, not just the back issue, but other factors as well," the selector added.

"We're encouraged. There's strong faith that he will feature a major part. With luck starting in Perth. If not, we'll adjust."

Past Concerns

He was sidelined Australia's limited-overs series against India and New Zealand last month after medical tests showed a lower back issue.

He has a history of back injuries, with setbacks in several earlier campaigns leading to absences from several home seasons in a short span.

He emphasized he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his rehabilitation process to secure his spot for the series.

The selector indicated that it was unclear if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his comeback but admitted it was "pressing" for him to be fit for the initial match.

Backup Options

In case of absence, former captain Steve Smith will take over the captaincy.

The talented all-rounder was recently pulled out from the ODI lineup for their one-day international series against the subcontinent side as a safety move because of discomfort in his torso.

Bailey described it as a "minor" injury and stated that he'll feature in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "ideally positioned to resume bowling."

"Considerable effort has gone into creating the schedule for him to take part for the opening match as an all-rounder," the selector detailed.

"Originally, he'd only feature in the first two ODIs anyway. His aggressive style the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, even if it just sets him back for another day, we opted to adopt a safer strategy."

Series Schedule

The Historic Rivalry

Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026