The Australian skipper has taken 309 Test scalps in 71 appearances with an stellar bowling average.
The Australian chief selector the selector has declared that pace spearhead Cummins will have a crucial role in the upcoming historic rivalry.
There were concerns that the veteran bowler might be unavailable due to a stress fracture in his back that remained unresolved.
Previous updates from the squad suggested no definitive call had been made regarding his involvement, with the Test matches kicking off on the 21st of November in the WACA.
The selector shared that the captain is progressing and felt positive about his chances of taking part.
"We know that the window is narrowing and various factors around that, not just the physical problem, but additional elements," he commented.
"It's positive. There's strong faith that he'll participate in a significant role. With luck from the opening match. Otherwise, we'll adjust."
Injury History
Cummins was ruled out the ODI and T20 games against New Zealand and India last month after medical tests showed a lower back issue.
Previous incidents include of back injuries, with recurrences in several earlier campaigns forcing him out of multiple domestic campaigns in four years.
Cummins stated he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his recovery plan to secure his spot for the series.
He mentioned that he did not know if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his comeback but admitted it was "pressing" for him to recover fully for the initial match.
Alternative Arrangements
If he's unavailable, veteran batsman Smith will lead the side.
All-rounder Cameron Green was excluded lately from Australia's squad for their one-day international series against the subcontinent side as a preventive step because of soreness in his side.
Bailey described it as a "slight concern and confirmed that he's scheduled to appear in the state-level matches, so will be "well-prepared to be ready to bowl."
"Considerable effort has gone into building out the plan for him to participate for the opening match as an dual-role player," the selector detailed.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the starting games anyway. How he handles the willow in shorter formats, even if it just sets him back for another day, we just made the decision to take a cautious route."
Match Calendar
The Historic Rivalry
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
