The pace bowler has claimed 309 wickets in 71 appearances with an stellar bowling average.
Australia's chair of selectors George Bailey has confirmed that captain Pat Cummins will be a central figure in the upcoming historic rivalry.
Speculation had been growing that Cummins might be unavailable due to a persistent back stress problem that remained unresolved.
Earlier indications from the squad suggested no official announcement had been made regarding whether he would play, with the five-Test series kicking off on the 21st of November in the WACA.
He revealed that his recovery is on track and remained hopeful about the likelihood of being involved.
"We know that time is getting short and multiple considerations at play, not only the back issue, but further aspects," he commented.
"We're encouraged. There's strong faith that he will feature a major part. Hopefully from the opening match. Otherwise, we'll adjust."
Previous Setbacks
The captain missed the white-ball matches against India and New Zealand in the previous weeks after scans revealed a lower back issue.
He has a history of spinal problems, with recurrences in multiple past seasons forcing him out of several home seasons in four years.
He emphasized he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his comeback strategy to secure his spot for the contest.
He mentioned that it was unclear if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his recovery but acknowledged it was "getting tight" for him to be fit for the initial match.
Alternative Arrangements
If he's unavailable, veteran batsman Smith will take over the captaincy.
All-rounder Cameron Green was withdrawn recently from Australia's squad for their limited-overs matches against the Asian giants as a preventive step because of an abdominal issue.
He labeled it as a "slight concern and stated that he'll feature in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "well-prepared to be ready to bowl."
"Extensive planning has gone into developing the strategy for him to be available for the initial game as an batting and bowling option," the selector detailed.
"He was only going to play the first two ODIs regardless. How he handles the willow in shorter formats, should it hinder progress for 24 more hours, we opted to take a cautious route."
Series Schedule
The Ashes: Australia v England
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
