Pat Cummins has secured 309 wickets in 71 Test matches with an average of 22.10.
Australia's selection chief the selector has confirmed that pace spearhead Cummins will have a crucial role in this winter's England-Australia contest.
Speculation had been growing that Cummins might be unavailable due to a persistent back stress problem that was still troubling him.
Earlier indications from the squad suggested no official announcement had been made regarding whether he would play, with the Test matches scheduled to begin on November 21 in Western Australia.
The selector shared that his recovery is on track and felt positive about the prospects of participating.
"We're aware that time is getting short and multiple considerations at play, not only the back issue, but other factors as well," the selector added.
"We're encouraged. We firmly believe that he'll participate in a significant role. Ideally it's the first Test. Should that not happen, we'll adjust."
Past Concerns
The captain missed the white-ball matches against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals recently after scans revealed a lower back issue.
There is a track record of recurring issues, with setbacks in several earlier campaigns leading to absences from three Australian summers in a limited period.
Cummins stated 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 recovery but admitted it was "becoming urgent" for him to recover fully for the opener.
Alternative Arrangements
Should Cummins not be fit, veteran batsman Smith will lead the side.
The talented all-rounder was recently pulled out from Australia's squad for their ODI contests against India as a preventive step because of soreness in his side.
He labeled it as a "slight concern and mentioned that Green will play in the state-level matches, so will be "ideally positioned to be ready to bowl."
"We put so much time has gone into building out the plan for him to be available for the first Test as an batting and bowling option," the selector detailed.
"He was only going to play the initial matches anyway. His aggressive style the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, if it causes any delay for 24 more hours, we opted to adopt a safer strategy."
Series Schedule
The Historic Rivalry
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
