The pace bowler has claimed 309 wickets in 71 appearances with an stellar bowling average.
The Australian chair of selectors George Bailey has stated that skipper Cummins will have a crucial role in the forthcoming historic rivalry.
Speculation had been growing that the 32-year-old might be unavailable due to a ongoing back issue that had not yet healed.
Initial reports from team management suggested no official announcement had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the extended contest set to start on November 21 in the WACA.
The selector shared that Cummins is "building up" and felt positive about the likelihood of participating.
"It's clear that time is getting short and there are permutations around that, aside from the physical problem, but other factors as well," Bailey remarked.
"It's positive. We firmly believe that he's going to play a major part. Ideally it's the first Test. Otherwise, we'll reassess."
Previous Setbacks
The captain missed the ODI and T20 games against India and New Zealand in the previous weeks after examinations confirmed a lumbar bone stress.
There is a track record of recurring issues, with flare-ups in multiple past seasons leading to absences from three Australian summers in a limited period.
The bowler mentioned he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his comeback strategy to ensure his availability for the contest.
Bailey noted that he did not know if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his comeback but admitted it was "getting tight" for him to be fit for the opener.
Contingency Plans
In case of absence, veteran batsman Smith will assume leadership.
All-rounder Cameron Green was withdrawn recently from the ODI lineup for their ODI contests against the Asian giants as a precautionary measure because of an abdominal issue.
The selector characterized it as a "small issue and stated that he'll feature in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "in a good place to deliver overs."
"Considerable effort has gone into building out the plan for him to participate for the first Test as an all-rounder," Bailey explained.
"He was only going to play the initial matches anyway. The way he swings the willow in shorter formats, should it hinder progress for 24 more hours, we opted to adopt a safer strategy."
Fixture Details
The Historic Rivalry
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
