The pace bowler has secured 309 wickets in 71 five-day games with an impressive average.
Australia's chair of selectors George Bailey has stated that captain Pat Cummins will be a central figure in this winter's England-Australia contest.
There were concerns that the veteran bowler might sit out due to a ongoing back issue that remained unresolved.
Initial reports from the squad suggested no official announcement had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the five-Test series kicking off on November 21 in Perth.
Bailey expressed that his recovery is on track and was "optimistic" about his chances of participating.
"It's clear that the clock is ticking and multiple considerations involved, not only his injury, but other factors as well," he commented.
"It's positive. [We are] really confident that he will feature a major part. Ideally it's the first Test. Otherwise, we'll reassess."
Previous Setbacks
He was sidelined the ODI and T20 games against India and New Zealand in the previous weeks after scans revealed a stress reaction in his back.
Previous incidents include of recurring issues, with setbacks in multiple past seasons leading to absences from several home seasons in a short span.
Cummins stated he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his rehabilitation process to ensure his availability for the series.
The selector indicated that there was no confirmation if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his recovery but admitted it was "becoming urgent" for him to recover fully for the opener.
Backup Options
In case of absence, veteran batsman Smith will assume leadership.
The talented all-rounder was recently pulled out from the ODI lineup for their limited-overs matches against India as a precautionary measure because of soreness in his side.
The selector characterized it as a "small issue and confirmed that he'll feature in the state-level matches, so will be "well-prepared to resume bowling."
"Extensive planning has gone into developing the strategy for him to participate for the initial game as an all-rounder," he elaborated.
"His involvement was limited to the first two ODIs in any case. His aggressive style the bat in limited-overs, should it hinder progress for 24 more hours, we just made the decision to approach this more conservatively."
Fixture Details
The Ashes: Australia v England
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
