The Australian skipper has claimed over 300 dismissals in 71 appearances with an average of 22.10.
The Australian selection chief George Bailey has confirmed that skipper Cummins will have a crucial role in the upcoming historic rivalry.
Speculation had been growing that the veteran bowler might be unavailable due to a ongoing back issue that had not yet healed.
Previous updates from the Australian camp suggested no final decision had been made regarding whether he would play, with the five-Test series kicking off on the 21st of November in Perth.
Bailey expressed that his recovery is on track and remained hopeful about the likelihood of being involved.
"We're aware that time is getting short and various factors around that, not only the physical problem, but additional elements," the selector added.
"It's positive. There's strong faith that he's going to play a key capacity. Ideally starting in Perth. Should that not happen, we'll reassess."
Previous Setbacks
The captain missed the white-ball matches against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals last month after scans revealed a lower back issue.
There is a track record of spinal problems, with setbacks in several earlier campaigns leading to absences from several home seasons in a short span.
Cummins stated he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his rehabilitation process to secure his spot for the series.
The selector indicated that he did not know if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his recovery but admitted it was "pressing" for him to recover fully for the first Test.
Backup Options
Should Cummins not be fit, ex-skipper Smith will assume leadership.
All-rounder Cameron Green was recently pulled out from the national team for their one-day international series against India as a precautionary measure because of an abdominal issue.
He labeled it as a "small issue and stated that Green will play in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "well-prepared to be ready to bowl."
"We put so much time has gone into creating the schedule for him to participate for the first Test as an all-rounder," the selector detailed.
"He was only going to play the first two ODIs in any case. How he handles the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, if it causes any delay for another day, we opted to take a cautious route."
Match Calendar
The Historic Rivalry
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
