Pat Cummins has claimed over 300 dismissals in 71 appearances with an stellar bowling average.
Australia's chair of selectors the selector has stated that captain Pat Cummins will be a central figure in this winter's England-Australia contest.
Speculation had been growing that the 32-year-old might sit out due to a persistent back stress problem that was still troubling him.
Previous updates from the squad suggested no definitive call had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the extended contest kicking off on 21 November in the WACA.
He revealed that Cummins is "building up" and was "optimistic" about the prospects of participating.
"It's clear that the window is narrowing and various factors at play, not only his injury, but additional elements," he commented.
"We're encouraged. [We are] really confident that he's going to play a significant role. With luck starting in Perth. Otherwise, we'll adjust."
Past Concerns
He was sidelined the ODI and T20 games against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals recently after scans revealed a lower back issue.
Previous incidents include of back injuries, with recurrences in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 causing him to miss multiple domestic campaigns in a short span.
The bowler mentioned he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his rehabilitation process to make the squad for the series.
The selector indicated that he did not know if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his rehabilitation but acknowledged it was "becoming urgent" for him to recover fully for the initial match.
Alternative Arrangements
If he's unavailable, former captain Steve Smith will take over the captaincy.
All-rounder Cameron Green was excluded lately from the national team for their ODI contests against the Asian giants as a precautionary measure because of an abdominal issue.
Bailey described it as a "minor" injury and confirmed that he's scheduled to appear in the state-level matches, so will be "well-prepared to deliver overs."
"Extensive planning has gone into developing the strategy for him to be available for the opening match as an dual-role player," Bailey explained.
"He was only going to play the initial matches regardless. How he handles the willow in shorter formats, if it causes any delay for another day, the choice was made to approach this more conservatively."
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