The pace bowler has claimed over 300 dismissals in 71 Test matches with an average of 22.10.
Australia's chair of selectors the selector has confirmed that pace spearhead Cummins will play a "major part" in the forthcoming historic rivalry.
There were concerns that Cummins might be unavailable due to a ongoing back issue that had not yet healed.
Initial reports from the Australian camp suggested no final decision had been made regarding his involvement, with the five-Test series kicking off on November 21 in Perth.
The selector shared that his recovery is on track and remained hopeful about the likelihood of taking part.
"We know that time is getting short and there are permutations at play, not just the physical problem, but additional elements," he commented.
"We're encouraged. We firmly believe that he'll participate in a key capacity. Ideally it's the first Test. If not, then we'll pick it up."
Past Concerns
He was sidelined Australia's limited-overs series against New Zealand and India recently after medical tests showed a stress reaction in his back.
There is a track record of recurring issues, with setbacks in several earlier campaigns leading to absences from three Australian summers in a limited period.
The bowler mentioned he would be proactive in his approach in his recovery plan to make the squad for the series.
The selector indicated that it was unclear if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his comeback but admitted it was "getting tight" for him to regain fitness for the opener.
Backup Options
If he's unavailable, former captain Steve Smith will assume leadership.
Versatile player Green was excluded lately from the ODI lineup for their limited-overs matches against India as a precautionary measure because of soreness in his side.
Bailey described it as a "slight concern and stated that he'll feature in the state-level matches, so will be "in a good place to be ready to bowl."
"We put so much time has gone into developing the strategy for him to take part for the first Test as an dual-role player," he elaborated.
"He was only going to play the first two ODIs in any case. The way he swings the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, if it causes any delay for a short period, the choice was made to adopt a safer strategy."
Series Schedule
The Historic Rivalry
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
