The Australian skipper has claimed over 300 dismissals in 71 five-day games with an stellar bowling average.
The Australian selection chief George Bailey has stated that captain Pat Cummins will play a "major part" in this winter's historic rivalry.
There were concerns that Cummins might be unavailable due to a ongoing back issue that was still troubling him.
Earlier indications from the Australian camp suggested no final decision had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the extended contest scheduled to begin on the 21st of November in Perth.
The selector shared that Cummins is "building up" and remained hopeful about the likelihood of being involved.
"We're aware that the window is narrowing and multiple considerations at play, not only his injury, but further aspects," he commented.
"The outlook is good. We firmly believe that he's going to play a significant role. With luck it's the first Test. Otherwise, we'll reassess."
Previous Setbacks
The captain missed Australia's limited-overs series against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals recently after examinations confirmed a lower back issue.
He has a history of back injuries, with flare-ups in multiple past seasons forcing him out of three Australian summers in a short span.
Cummins stated he would be bold in recovery efforts in his rehabilitation process to ensure his availability for the series.
He mentioned that he did not know if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his rehabilitation but admitted it was "pressing" for him to be fit for the opener.
Backup Options
In case of absence, ex-skipper Smith will take over the captaincy.
All-rounder Cameron Green was recently pulled out from the ODI lineup for their one-day international series against the subcontinent side as a safety move because of discomfort in his torso.
He labeled it as a "minor" injury and mentioned that Green will play in the state-level matches, so will be "in a good place to deliver overs."
"We put so much time has gone into creating the schedule for him to take part for the initial game as an dual-role player," Bailey explained.
"His involvement was limited to the starting games anyway. How he handles the bat in limited-overs, if it causes any delay for another day, the choice was made to approach this more conservatively."
Match Calendar
The Historic Rivalry
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
