Pat Cummins has taken 309 Test scalps in 71 appearances with an average of 22.10.
The Australian chief selector George Bailey has declared that skipper Cummins will play a "major part" in this winter's historic rivalry.
There were concerns that Cummins might miss the series due to a ongoing back issue that was still troubling him.
Initial reports from the Australian camp suggested no final decision had been made regarding whether he would play, with the five-Test series scheduled to begin on 21 November in Perth.
He revealed that his recovery is on track and was "optimistic" about his chances of being involved.
"We know that the window is narrowing and there are permutations at play, not just his injury, but other factors as well," he commented.
"It's positive. [We are] really confident that he'll participate in a significant role. Ideally it's the first Test. If not, we'll reassess."
Past Concerns
Cummins was ruled out Australia's limited-overs series against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals recently after examinations confirmed a stress reaction in his back.
There is a track record of recurring issues, with recurrences in several earlier campaigns causing him to miss multiple domestic campaigns in a limited period.
The bowler mentioned he would be bold in recovery efforts in his comeback strategy to make the squad for the contest.
Bailey noted that he did not know if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his recovery but conceded it was "pressing" for him to recover fully for the initial match.
Alternative Arrangements
In case of absence, former captain Steve Smith will assume leadership.
Versatile player Green was withdrawn recently from the ODI lineup for their limited-overs matches against India as a preventive step because of an abdominal issue.
Bailey described it as a "small issue and mentioned that he's scheduled to appear in the state-level matches, so will be "ideally positioned to be ready to bowl."
"Considerable effort has gone into developing the strategy for him to be available for the first Test as an all-rounder," the selector detailed.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the first two ODIs regardless. How he handles the bat in limited-overs, if it causes any delay for a short period, we opted to adopt a safer strategy."
Fixture Details
The Historic Rivalry
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
