The pace bowler has claimed over 300 dismissals in 71 five-day games with an impressive average.
Australia's chair of selectors George Bailey has declared that skipper Cummins will play a "major part" in this winter's historic rivalry.
Rumors had circulated that the veteran bowler might be unavailable due to a persistent back stress problem that had not yet healed.
Earlier indications from the squad suggested no final decision had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the five-Test series kicking off on 21 November in Perth.
Bailey expressed that his recovery is on track and remained hopeful about the likelihood of being involved.
"We know that time is getting short and various factors around that, aside from the physical problem, but additional elements," he commented.
"We're encouraged. [We are] really confident that he'll participate in a key capacity. With luck starting in Perth. Should that not happen, we'll adjust."
Previous Setbacks
The captain missed the ODI and T20 games against New Zealand and India in the previous weeks after medical tests showed a lumbar bone stress.
There is a track record of spinal problems, with recurrences in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 forcing him out of three Australian summers in a short span.
The bowler mentioned he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his comeback strategy to secure his spot for the contest.
He mentioned that it was unclear if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his rehabilitation but admitted it was "pressing" for him to be fit for the initial match.
Contingency Plans
Should Cummins not be fit, ex-skipper Smith will take over the captaincy.
The talented all-rounder was excluded lately from the ODI lineup for their one-day international series against the Asian giants as a safety move because of soreness in his side.
He labeled it as a "slight concern and confirmed that he's scheduled to appear in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "ideally positioned to be ready to bowl."
"We put so much time has gone into building out the plan for him to be available for the initial game as an all-rounder," he elaborated.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the starting games in any case. How he handles the bat in limited-overs, even if it just sets him back for 24 more hours, we just made the decision to take a cautious route."
Match Calendar
The Historic Rivalry
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
