The Australian skipper has secured 309 wickets in 71 five-day games with an stellar bowling average.
The Australian selection chief George Bailey has stated that skipper Cummins will play a "major part" in the forthcoming historic rivalry.
Rumors had circulated that the veteran bowler might be unavailable due to a stress fracture in his back that was still troubling him.
Initial reports from the squad suggested no final decision had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the five-Test series scheduled to begin on November 21 in the WACA.
Bailey expressed that his recovery is on track and remained hopeful about his chances of being involved.
"We know that time is getting short and various factors around that, not just his injury, but further aspects," he commented.
"The outlook is good. There's strong faith that he'll participate in a key capacity. Hopefully starting in Perth. Otherwise, then we'll pick it up."
Previous Setbacks
He was sidelined the ODI and T20 games against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals last month after examinations confirmed a lower back issue.
He has a history of back injuries, with recurrences in multiple past seasons causing him to miss multiple domestic campaigns in a limited period.
He emphasized he would be proactive in his approach in his rehabilitation process to make the squad for the series.
Bailey noted that he did not know if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his rehabilitation but conceded it was "getting tight" for him to be fit for the initial match.
Alternative Arrangements
In case of absence, ex-skipper Smith will lead the side.
The talented all-rounder was excluded lately from the ODI lineup for their limited-overs matches against India as a safety move because of an abdominal issue.
The selector characterized it as a "slight concern and confirmed that he's scheduled to appear in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "in a good place to resume bowling."
"Considerable effort has gone into building out the plan for him to be available for the opening match as an batting and bowling option," the selector detailed.
"His involvement was limited to the initial matches in any case. His aggressive style the willow in shorter formats, should it hinder progress for 24 more hours, we just made the decision to take a cautious route."
Fixture Details
The Historic Rivalry
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
