The Australian skipper has claimed 309 Test scalps in 71 Test matches with an stellar bowling average.
The Australian chair of selectors George Bailey has stated that pace spearhead Cummins will have a crucial role in this winter's England-Australia contest.
There were concerns that the 32-year-old might be unavailable due to a persistent back stress problem that had not yet healed.
Previous updates from the squad suggested no final decision had been made regarding whether he would play, with the five-Test series scheduled to begin on November 21 in Western Australia.
He revealed that Cummins is "building up" and felt positive about his chances of taking part.
"We know that the window is narrowing and various factors around that, aside from his injury, but additional elements," the selector added.
"We're encouraged. [We are] really confident that he'll participate in a significant role. With luck it's the first Test. Should that not happen, we'll adjust."
Previous Setbacks
Cummins was ruled out the white-ball matches against New Zealand and India in the previous weeks after medical tests showed a lower back issue.
There is a track record of spinal problems, with recurrences in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 forcing him out of three Australian summers in a limited period.
He emphasized he would be proactive in his approach in his recovery plan to ensure his availability for the series.
The selector indicated that he did not know if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his recovery but admitted it was "pressing" for him to recover fully for the opener.
Alternative Arrangements
Should Cummins not be fit, veteran batsman Smith will assume leadership.
The talented all-rounder was withdrawn recently from Australia's squad for their ODI contests against the subcontinent side as a safety move because of discomfort in his torso.
The selector characterized it as a "slight concern and mentioned that he's scheduled to appear in the state-level matches, so will be "ideally positioned to resume bowling."
"Considerable effort has gone into developing the strategy for him to be available for the initial game as an batting and bowling option," he elaborated.
"He was only going to play the starting games anyway. How he handles the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, even if it just sets him back for another day, we opted to adopt a safer strategy."
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