The Australian skipper has taken over 300 dismissals in 71 five-day games with an impressive average.
Australia's chair of selectors the selector has declared that captain Pat Cummins will be a central figure in the upcoming historic rivalry.
Rumors had circulated that the veteran bowler might miss the series due to a persistent back stress problem that was still troubling him.
Previous updates from team management suggested no official announcement had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the five-Test series set to start on 21 November in the WACA.
He revealed that his recovery is on track and remained hopeful about his chances of participating.
"It's clear that time is getting short and various factors around that, aside from the back issue, but other factors as well," the selector added.
"We're encouraged. We firmly believe that he will feature a key capacity. Ideally it's the first Test. If not, then we'll pick it up."
Previous Setbacks
He was sidelined the white-ball matches against India and New Zealand last month after scans revealed a stress reaction in his back.
Previous incidents include of back injuries, with flare-ups in several earlier campaigns leading to absences from three Australian summers in a short span.
The bowler mentioned he would be bold in recovery efforts in his rehabilitation process to secure his spot for the series.
He mentioned that it was unclear if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his recovery but acknowledged it was "pressing" for him to be fit for the first Test.
Contingency Plans
In case of absence, veteran batsman Smith will lead the side.
Versatile player Green was recently pulled out from Australia's squad for their one-day international series against the subcontinent side as a preventive step because of discomfort in his torso.
The selector characterized it as a "minor" injury and stated that he's scheduled to appear in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "ideally positioned to resume bowling."
"Considerable effort has gone into developing the strategy for him to be available for the first Test as an batting and bowling option," Bailey explained.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the starting games regardless. The way he swings the willow in shorter formats, even if it just sets him back for a short period, we opted to take a cautious route."
Fixture Details
The Historic Rivalry
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
