Pat Cummins has taken 309 wickets in 71 Test matches with an average of 22.10.
The Australian selection chief George Bailey has confirmed that pace spearhead Cummins will be a central figure in the forthcoming historic rivalry.
Rumors had circulated that the 32-year-old might miss the series due to a stress fracture in his back that had not yet healed.
Earlier indications from the squad suggested no official announcement had been made regarding his involvement, with the Test matches set to start on November 21 in Western Australia.
The selector shared that Cummins is "building up" and was "optimistic" about the prospects of taking part.
"It's clear that the window is narrowing and various factors involved, aside from his injury, but further aspects," Bailey remarked.
"It's positive. We firmly believe that he's going to play a significant role. Hopefully starting in Perth. Otherwise, we'll reassess."
Past Concerns
Cummins was ruled out the white-ball matches against New Zealand and India recently after examinations confirmed a lumbar bone stress.
There is a track record of back injuries, with flare-ups in multiple past seasons leading to absences from three Australian summers in a short span.
He emphasized he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his rehabilitation process to secure his spot for the series.
He mentioned that there was no confirmation if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his rehabilitation but conceded it was "getting tight" for him to recover fully for the opener.
Backup Options
Should Cummins not be fit, veteran batsman Smith will assume leadership.
All-rounder Cameron Green was recently pulled out from Australia's squad for their limited-overs matches against the Asian giants as a precautionary measure because of discomfort in his torso.
The selector characterized it as a "small issue and stated that he's scheduled to appear in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "well-prepared to deliver overs."
"Extensive planning has gone into creating the schedule for him to be available for the initial game as an all-rounder," Bailey explained.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the initial matches in any case. His aggressive style the willow in shorter formats, if it causes any delay for 24 more hours, we just made the decision to take a cautious route."
Match Calendar
The Historic Rivalry
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
