The pace bowler has claimed over 300 dismissals in 71 appearances with an average of 22.10.
Australia's chief selector George Bailey has declared that captain Pat Cummins will be a central figure in the forthcoming historic rivalry.
Rumors had circulated that the 32-year-old might be unavailable due to a ongoing back issue that had not yet healed.
Initial reports from the Australian camp suggested no official announcement had been made regarding his involvement, with the five-Test series kicking off on the 21st of November in Western Australia.
Bailey expressed that Cummins is "building up" and remained hopeful about his chances of participating.
"We're aware that the clock is ticking and multiple considerations around that, not only the physical problem, but additional elements," he commented.
"It's positive. There's strong faith that he's going to play a major part. Hopefully it's the first Test. Should that not happen, we'll adjust."
Past Concerns
Cummins was ruled out the ODI and T20 games against New Zealand and India recently after scans revealed a lower back issue.
Previous incidents include of recurring issues, with recurrences in several earlier campaigns forcing him out of several home seasons in a short span.
He emphasized he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his rehabilitation process to ensure his availability for the series.
The selector indicated that he did not know if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his recovery but acknowledged it was "becoming urgent" for him to be fit for the initial match.
Alternative Arrangements
If he's unavailable, veteran batsman Smith will lead the side.
All-rounder Cameron Green was excluded lately from Australia's squad for their ODI contests against India as a precautionary measure because of discomfort in his torso.
The selector characterized it as a "small issue and mentioned that he'll feature in the state-level matches, so will be "ideally positioned to deliver overs."
"Extensive planning has gone into building out the plan for him to participate for the initial game as an all-rounder," the selector detailed.
"He was only going to play the first two ODIs anyway. How he handles the bat in limited-overs, even if it just sets him back for a short period, we opted to adopt a safer strategy."
Series Schedule
The Historic Rivalry
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
