The Australian skipper has taken 309 Test scalps in 71 appearances with an impressive average.
The Australian selection chief George Bailey has stated that captain Pat Cummins will be a central figure in this winter's England-Australia contest.
Speculation had been growing that Cummins might sit out due to a stress fracture in his back that was still troubling him.
Previous updates from the Australian camp suggested no official announcement had been made regarding his involvement, with the extended contest scheduled to begin on November 21 in the WACA.
He revealed that the captain is progressing and remained hopeful about the prospects of being involved.
"We're aware that the window is narrowing and multiple considerations at play, aside from his injury, but other factors as well," the selector added.
"The outlook is good. [We are] really confident that he's going to play a significant role. Hopefully starting in Perth. Otherwise, then we'll pick it up."
Past Concerns
The captain missed the white-ball matches against India and New Zealand in the previous weeks after scans revealed a stress reaction in his back.
He has a history of recurring issues, with recurrences in several earlier campaigns causing him to miss multiple domestic campaigns in a short span.
Cummins stated he would be bold in recovery efforts in his comeback strategy to make the squad for the contest.
He mentioned that there was no confirmation if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his recovery but conceded it was "getting tight" for him to be fit for the first Test.
Alternative Arrangements
Should Cummins not be fit, former captain Steve Smith will assume leadership.
All-rounder Cameron Green was withdrawn recently from the national team for their one-day international series against the Asian giants as a preventive step because of an abdominal issue.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 Green will play in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "well-prepared to resume bowling."
"Considerable effort has gone into developing the strategy for him to participate for the opening match as an dual-role player," he elaborated.
"His involvement was limited to the initial matches in any case. How he handles the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, should it hinder progress for another day, we just made the decision to adopt a safer strategy."
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The Historic Rivalry
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