Pat Cummins has claimed 309 Test scalps in 71 Test matches with an average of 22.10.
Australia's chair of selectors George Bailey has confirmed that skipper Cummins will be a central figure in the forthcoming historic rivalry.
Speculation had been growing that the 32-year-old might sit out due to a ongoing back issue that was still troubling him.
Initial reports from team management suggested no official announcement had been made regarding whether he would play, with the five-Test series set to start on November 21 in Perth.
Bailey expressed that his recovery is on track and felt positive about his chances of participating.
"We're aware that the clock is ticking and there are permutations around that, not just the physical problem, but additional elements," Bailey remarked.
"We're encouraged. There's strong faith that he will feature a significant role. Hopefully starting in Perth. Should that not happen, we'll reassess."
Previous Setbacks
Cummins was ruled out the white-ball matches against India and New Zealand in the previous weeks after medical tests showed a lumbar bone stress.
There is a track record of recurring issues, with recurrences in multiple past seasons causing him to miss several home seasons in a short span.
The bowler mentioned he would be bold in recovery efforts in his rehabilitation process to make the squad for the series.
Bailey noted that he did not know if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his comeback but conceded it was "getting tight" for him to regain fitness for the initial match.
Backup Options
Should Cummins not be fit, veteran batsman Smith will lead the side.
The talented all-rounder was excluded lately from the national team for their ODI contests against the subcontinent side as a safety move because of discomfort in his torso.
The selector characterized it as a "small issue and mentioned that he's scheduled to appear in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "well-prepared to be ready to bowl."
"We put so much time has gone into building out the plan for him to participate for the initial game as an dual-role player," Bailey explained.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the starting games in any case. The way he swings the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, should it hinder progress for a short period, we just made the decision to approach this more conservatively."
Match Calendar
The Historic Rivalry
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026