The pace bowler has taken 309 Test scalps in 71 Test matches with an impressive average.
Australia's selection chief George Bailey has declared that captain Pat Cummins will play a "major part" in this winter's England-Australia contest.
Speculation had been growing that the 32-year-old might be unavailable due to a ongoing back issue that had not yet healed.
Earlier indications from team management suggested no official announcement had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the extended contest kicking off on the 21st of November in Perth.
He revealed that the captain is progressing and remained hopeful about the prospects of taking part.
"We know that the window is narrowing and multiple considerations involved, aside from his injury, but further aspects," Bailey remarked.
"We're encouraged. We firmly believe that he's going to play a major part. With luck starting in Perth. If not, then we'll pick it up."
Injury History
The captain missed Australia's limited-overs series against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals recently after scans revealed a lumbar bone stress.
There is a track record of spinal problems, with recurrences in multiple past seasons causing him to miss several home seasons in four years.
He emphasized he would be proactive in his approach in his rehabilitation process to ensure his availability for the Ashes.
The selector indicated that he did not know if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his comeback but admitted it was "pressing" for him to regain fitness for the first Test.
Alternative Arrangements
If he's unavailable, veteran batsman Smith will assume leadership.
The talented all-rounder was excluded lately from the national team for their ODI contests against the subcontinent side as a precautionary measure because of discomfort in his torso.
The selector characterized it as a "small issue and confirmed that he's scheduled to appear in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "well-prepared to resume bowling."
"Extensive planning has gone into building out the plan for him to participate for the initial game as an dual-role player," he elaborated.
"His involvement was limited to the starting games in any case. How he handles the bat in limited-overs, if it causes any delay for another day, we opted to approach this more conservatively."
Series Schedule
The Historic Rivalry
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
