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The Australian chair of selectors the selector has declared that captain Pat Cummins will have a crucial role 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.

Previous updates from the Australian camp suggested no definitive call had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the five-Test series set to start on 21 November in Western Australia.

The selector shared that his recovery is on track and remained hopeful about the prospects of being involved.

"We know that the clock is ticking and there are permutations around that, not only the physical problem, but further aspects," he commented.

"It's positive. There's strong faith that he will feature a major part. Ideally it's the first Test. Should that not happen, then we'll pick it up."

Injury History

Cummins was ruled out the white-ball matches against India and New Zealand in the previous weeks after scans revealed a stress reaction in his back.

Previous incidents include of recurring issues, with flare-ups in multiple past seasons leading to absences from multiple domestic campaigns in a limited period.

Cummins stated he would be proactive in his approach in his comeback strategy to ensure his availability for the series.

He mentioned that there was no confirmation if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his recovery but conceded it was "becoming urgent" for him to be fit for the first Test.

Alternative Arrangements

If he's unavailable, ex-skipper Smith will take over the captaincy.

All-rounder Cameron Green was excluded lately from the national team for their limited-overs matches against the Asian giants as a precautionary measure because of soreness in his side.

Bailey described it as a "small issue and confirmed that he'll feature in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "well-prepared to deliver overs."

"We put so much time has gone into creating the schedule for him to participate for the opening match as an all-rounder," Bailey explained.

"His involvement was limited to the starting games in any case. The way he swings the willow in shorter formats, even if it just sets him back for another day, the choice was made to adopt a safer strategy."

Series Schedule

The Historic Rivalry

21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026