The pace bowler has secured over 300 dismissals in 71 Test matches with an impressive average.
Australia's chair of selectors George Bailey has confirmed that pace spearhead Cummins will play a "major part" in this winter's historic rivalry.
Speculation had been growing that Cummins might be unavailable due to a stress fracture in his back that remained unresolved.
Previous updates from the Australian camp suggested no official announcement had been made regarding his involvement, with the extended contest kicking off on November 21 in Western Australia.
Bailey expressed that his recovery is on track and was "optimistic" about the likelihood of being involved.
"We know that time is getting short and multiple considerations around that, aside from the physical problem, but other factors as well," Bailey remarked.
"We're encouraged. There's strong faith that he will feature a significant role. Ideally starting in Perth. Should that not happen, we'll adjust."
Past Concerns
The captain missed the white-ball matches against India and New Zealand last month after medical tests showed a lower back issue.
Previous incidents include of spinal problems, with recurrences in multiple past seasons causing him to miss three Australian summers in a short span.
He emphasized he would be proactive in his approach in his recovery plan to make the squad for the contest.
The selector indicated that there was no confirmation if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his recovery but conceded it was "becoming urgent" for him to recover fully for the initial match.
Contingency Plans
In case of absence, ex-skipper Smith will lead the side.
Versatile player Green was excluded lately from Australia's squad for their limited-overs matches against the subcontinent side as a safety move because of an abdominal issue.
Bailey described it as a "slight concern and mentioned that he'll feature in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "in a good place to be ready to bowl."
"Extensive planning has gone into building out the plan for him to participate for the first Test as an dual-role player," Bailey explained.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the first two ODIs regardless. The way he swings the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, should it hinder progress for 24 more hours, we just made the decision to approach this more conservatively."
Fixture Details
The Historic Rivalry
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
