The Australian skipper has secured 309 Test scalps in 71 five-day games with an stellar bowling average.
The Australian chair of selectors the selector has confirmed that pace spearhead Cummins will play a "major part" in this winter's historic rivalry.
Rumors had circulated that the veteran bowler might miss the series due to a persistent back stress problem that was still troubling him.
Initial reports from the Australian camp suggested no official announcement had been made regarding whether he would play, with the Test matches scheduled to begin on November 21 in Western Australia.
The selector shared that his recovery is on track and was "optimistic" about his chances of being involved.
"We're aware that time is getting short and there are permutations involved, not only his injury, but additional elements," Bailey remarked.
"The outlook is good. We firmly believe that he'll participate in a significant role. Ideally it's the first Test. Otherwise, we'll adjust."
Injury History
He was sidelined the ODI and T20 games against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals last month after examinations confirmed a lumbar bone stress.
Previous incidents include of back injuries, with setbacks in multiple past seasons leading to absences from three Australian summers in a short span.
He emphasized he would be bold in recovery efforts in his rehabilitation process to secure his spot for the series.
The selector indicated that it was unclear if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his recovery but acknowledged it was "pressing" for him to regain fitness for the initial match.
Backup Options
If he's unavailable, former captain Steve Smith will lead the side.
All-rounder Cameron Green was withdrawn recently from Australia's squad for their one-day international series against India as a safety move because of an abdominal issue.
The selector characterized it as a "minor" injury and confirmed that he's scheduled to appear in the state-level matches, so will be "ideally positioned to resume bowling."
"We put so much time has gone into creating the schedule for him to take part for the opening match as an batting and bowling option," the selector detailed.
"His involvement was limited to the starting games in any case. How he handles the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, even if it just sets him back for another day, we opted to approach this more conservatively."
Series Schedule
The Historic Rivalry
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
