The Australian skipper has claimed 309 Test scalps in 71 five-day games with an average of 22.10.
The Australian chair of selectors the selector has confirmed that pace spearhead Cummins will play a "major part" in the upcoming historic rivalry.
Rumors had circulated that the veteran bowler might miss the series due to a persistent back stress problem that remained unresolved.
Previous updates from the Australian camp suggested no final decision had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the Test matches kicking off on the 21st of November in Western Australia.
He revealed that Cummins is "building up" and felt positive about his chances of taking part.
"It's clear that the window is narrowing and multiple considerations involved, not only the back issue, but additional elements," he commented.
"The outlook is good. There's strong faith that he will feature a significant role. With luck it's the first Test. Should that not happen, we'll reassess."
Injury History
The captain missed the ODI and T20 games against India and New Zealand in the previous weeks after medical tests showed a lumbar bone stress.
There is a track record of back injuries, with flare-ups in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 causing him to miss three Australian summers in a limited period.
The bowler mentioned he would be bold in recovery efforts in his rehabilitation process to secure his spot for the series.
Bailey noted that he did not know if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his rehabilitation but conceded it was "getting tight" for him to be fit for the opener.
Alternative Arrangements
In case of absence, former captain Steve Smith will lead the side.
The talented all-rounder was withdrawn recently from the national team for their limited-overs matches against the Asian giants as a safety move because of an abdominal issue.
The selector characterized it as a "minor" injury and stated that he'll feature in the state-level matches, so will be "in a good place to resume bowling."
"Considerable effort has gone into creating the schedule for him to be available for the initial game as an dual-role player," he elaborated.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the starting games anyway. How he handles the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, even if it just sets him back for another day, we opted to adopt a safer strategy."
Match Calendar
The Historic Rivalry
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
