The Australian skipper has secured 309 Test scalps in 71 five-day games with an average of 22.10.
Australia's selection chief George Bailey has stated that skipper Cummins will play a "major part" in this winter's historic rivalry.
Speculation had been growing that the veteran bowler might sit out due to a stress fracture in his back that remained unresolved.
Earlier indications from team management suggested no definitive call had been made regarding his involvement, with the five-Test series scheduled to begin on November 21 in Perth.
He revealed that his recovery is on track and remained hopeful about his chances of being involved.
"We know that time is getting short and multiple considerations involved, aside from the physical problem, but additional elements," the selector added.
"We're encouraged. There's strong faith that he'll participate in a key capacity. Hopefully from the opening match. Otherwise, we'll adjust."
Injury History
The captain missed the ODI and T20 games against India and New Zealand last month after scans revealed a lower back issue.
He has a history of recurring issues, with setbacks in several earlier campaigns leading to absences from three Australian summers in a short span.
Cummins stated he would be bold in recovery efforts in his comeback strategy to make the squad for the series.
He mentioned that he did not know if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his recovery but conceded it was "pressing" for him to be fit for the initial match.
Contingency Plans
In case of absence, veteran batsman Smith will lead the side.
The talented all-rounder was excluded lately from the national team for their ODI contests against India as a precautionary measure because of soreness in his side.
The selector characterized it as a "small issue and confirmed that he's scheduled to appear in the state-level matches, so will be "well-prepared to resume bowling."
"We put so much time has gone into developing the strategy for him to take part for the opening match as an batting and bowling option," Bailey explained.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the initial matches anyway. His aggressive style the bat in limited-overs, even if it just sets him back for a short period, we just made the decision to approach this more conservatively."
Series Schedule
The Historic Rivalry
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
