The Australian skipper has claimed 309 wickets in 71 five-day games with an impressive average.
The Australian selection chief George Bailey has declared that captain Pat Cummins will be a central figure in the upcoming historic rivalry.
There were concerns that the veteran bowler might miss the series due to a persistent back stress problem that was still troubling him.
Initial reports from the Australian camp suggested no definitive call had been made regarding his involvement, with the extended contest set to start on the 21st of November in Western Australia.
He revealed that his recovery is on track and remained hopeful about his chances of taking part.
"We know that the window is narrowing and various factors involved, aside from the physical problem, but additional elements," the selector added.
"It's positive. [We are] really confident that he will feature a significant role. Ideally it's the first Test. Otherwise, we'll reassess."
Previous Setbacks
He was sidelined the white-ball matches against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals recently after scans revealed a lumbar bone stress.
There is a track record of back injuries, with recurrences in several earlier campaigns causing him to miss several home seasons in a short span.
The bowler mentioned he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his recovery plan to ensure his availability for the series.
The selector indicated that there was no confirmation if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his comeback but acknowledged it was "becoming urgent" for him to recover fully for the opener.
Alternative Arrangements
Should Cummins not be fit, ex-skipper Smith will take over the captaincy.
The talented all-rounder was excluded lately from Australia's squad for their one-day international series against the Asian giants as a preventive step because of an abdominal issue.
The selector characterized it as a "slight concern and stated that he's scheduled to appear in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "in a good place to be ready to bowl."
"Considerable effort has gone into developing the strategy for him to take part for the initial game as an batting and bowling option," the selector detailed.
"His involvement was limited to the first two ODIs regardless. The way he swings the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, should it hinder progress for another day, we just made the decision to take a cautious route."
Series Schedule
The Historic Rivalry
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
