The pace bowler has taken 309 Test scalps in 71 five-day games with an stellar bowling average.
The Australian chair of selectors George Bailey has declared that skipper Cummins will have a crucial role in this winter's historic rivalry.
There were concerns that the veteran bowler might sit out due to a ongoing back issue that had not yet healed.
Earlier indications from the squad suggested no final decision had been made regarding whether he would play, with the extended contest kicking off on 21 November in the WACA.
The selector shared that Cummins is "building up" and felt positive about his chances of taking part.
"We know that time is getting short and multiple considerations at play, not just the back issue, but further aspects," he commented.
"It's positive. There's strong faith that he will feature a key capacity. Ideally from the opening match. If not, we'll reassess."
Injury History
Cummins was ruled out Australia's limited-overs series against New Zealand and India recently after examinations confirmed a lower back issue.
Previous incidents include of back injuries, with recurrences in multiple past seasons leading to absences from multiple domestic campaigns in a short span.
Cummins stated he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his comeback strategy to secure his spot for the contest.
The selector indicated that it was unclear if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his comeback but acknowledged it was "becoming urgent" for him to recover fully for the initial match.
Backup Options
Should Cummins not be fit, ex-skipper Smith will assume leadership.
All-rounder Cameron Green was withdrawn recently from Australia's squad for their one-day international series against the subcontinent side as a precautionary measure because of soreness in his side.
He labeled it as a "slight concern and mentioned that he's scheduled to appear in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "well-prepared to deliver overs."
"We put so much time has gone into developing the strategy for him to participate for the initial game as an batting and bowling option," the selector detailed.
"He was only going to play 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
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
