Head coach Andrew McDonald also said veteran opening batter Usman Khawaja, who is set to turn 39 during next week's game, could make a return to the XI via the middle order.
New opening pair Travis Head and Jake Weatherald put on partnerships of 77 and 37 in last week's second Test in Brisbane, both scoring at strike rates of 73 or better in each innings to get Australia's batting off to an aggressive and successful start.
Selectors could be reticent to disturb that match-winning combination with the conservative and out-of-form Khawaja, who before his successful recall to the Test team during the 2021/22 Ashes had primarily operated as a number three for Australia and Queensland.
McDonald, who throughout his tenure as Australia coach has not believed in rigid and inflexible batting orders, reminded reporters of his philosophy when floating the idea that Khawaja could instead return via Travis Head's previous position of number five.
Spin bowler Nathan Lyon, who during a candid mid-game interview on the Seven Network last week said he was "absolutely filthy" with being left out for Brisbane's pink ball Test, is certain to make a comeback.
The returns of Lyon and Cummins likely mean an omission for pair Brendan Doggett and Michael Neser, with McDonald saying on Tuesday afternoon that incumbent quicks Starc and Boland are more likely to be rested in Melbourne and/or Sydney where the turnarounds between matches are much tighter.
“We wouldn’t be thinking about someone needing a rest there, it’s probably more so in Test match four and five,” McDonald said.
McDonald said he was "really flat" for the injured Hazlewood and taken aback by some additional setbacks that the 34-year-old has faced since exiting a Sheffield Shield game for New South Wales for what at the time seemed to be little more than a precautionary measure.
"We still do value spin,” declared McDonald when asked about Lyon's position.
"That’s the first game Nathan’s missed in Australia for a long time. Has his impact been as great as previous seasons with the surfaces that we’re playing on? Potentially not.
"I think Nathan’s going to have an incredibly huge impact in the last three Test matches if you look to what he did at the MCG last year. When the surface became benign day three onwards, he was able to navigate through a hole.”
Australia will be looking to seal a series win when the third Test begins in Adelaide at 10am local time on Wednesday 17 December.