The Australian skipper has taken 309 wickets in 71 five-day games with an stellar bowling average.
The Australian selection chief the selector has confirmed that captain Pat Cummins will be a central figure in the upcoming historic rivalry.
Rumors had circulated that the 32-year-old might sit out due to a persistent back stress problem that was still troubling him.
Earlier indications from team management suggested no definitive call had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the extended contest kicking off on 21 November in Perth.
He revealed that Cummins is "building up" and was "optimistic" about the prospects of taking part.
"We know that time is getting short and there are permutations at play, not only his injury, but other factors as well," he commented.
"It's positive. There's strong faith that he'll participate in a major part. Ideally from the opening match. Should that not happen, then we'll pick it up."
Injury History
The captain missed the ODI and T20 games against India and New Zealand recently after examinations confirmed a stress reaction in his back.
There is a track record of spinal problems, with flare-ups in several earlier campaigns leading to absences from three Australian summers in a limited period.
Cummins stated he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his comeback strategy to make the squad for the series.
He mentioned that it was unclear if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his rehabilitation but conceded it was "becoming urgent" for him to be fit for the first Test.
Alternative Arrangements
Should Cummins not be fit, ex-skipper Smith will take over the captaincy.
All-rounder Cameron Green was excluded lately from the ODI lineup for their one-day international series against the Asian giants as a safety move because of soreness in his side.
The selector characterized it as a "slight concern and mentioned that Green will play in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "well-prepared to resume bowling."
"We put so much time has gone into building out the plan for him to participate for the first Test as an all-rounder," the selector detailed.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the first two ODIs anyway. The way he swings the bat in limited-overs, even if it just sets him back for 24 more hours, we opted to approach this more conservatively."
Series Schedule
The Historic Rivalry
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
