Pat Cummins has claimed 309 Test scalps in 71 appearances with an stellar bowling average.
Australia's chair of selectors George Bailey has declared that skipper Cummins will play a "major part" in the forthcoming England-Australia contest.
Rumors had circulated that Cummins might miss the series due to a stress fracture in his back that had not yet healed.
Earlier indications from team management suggested no final decision had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the Test matches scheduled to begin on November 21 in Perth.
He revealed that the captain is progressing and felt positive about the prospects of participating.
"We know that time is getting short and various factors around that, aside from the back issue, but additional elements," the selector added.
"It's positive. [We are] really confident that he's going to play a key capacity. Hopefully starting in Perth. If not, we'll reassess."
Past Concerns
He was sidelined the white-ball matches against New Zealand and India recently after examinations confirmed a lumbar bone stress.
Previous incidents include of spinal problems, with recurrences in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 leading to absences from several home seasons in a limited period.
The bowler mentioned he would be bold in recovery efforts in his rehabilitation process to ensure his availability for the contest.
He mentioned that there was no confirmation if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his recovery but conceded it was "pressing" for him to regain fitness for the opener.
Contingency Plans
Should Cummins not be fit, veteran batsman Smith will assume leadership.
All-rounder Cameron Green was excluded lately from the ODI lineup for their limited-overs matches against the Asian giants as a precautionary measure because of an abdominal issue.
The selector characterized it as a "slight concern and mentioned that he'll feature in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "ideally positioned to be ready to bowl."
"Extensive planning has gone into developing the strategy for him to be available for the opening match as an all-rounder," he elaborated.
"He was only going to play the initial matches anyway. How he handles the willow in shorter formats, even if it just sets him back for 24 more hours, we opted to take a cautious route."
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The Historic Rivalry
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