The pace bowler has claimed 309 Test scalps in 71 five-day games with an stellar bowling average.
The Australian chair of selectors George Bailey has declared that captain Pat Cummins will play a "major part" in the upcoming England-Australia contest.
There were concerns that Cummins might miss the series due to a ongoing back issue that had not yet healed.
Earlier indications from the squad suggested no definitive call had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the Test matches set to start on November 21 in Western Australia.
Bailey expressed that his recovery is on track and remained hopeful about his chances of being involved.
"It's clear that the clock is ticking and multiple considerations at play, not just the physical problem, but further aspects," the selector added.
"It's positive. [We are] really confident that he will feature a significant role. Hopefully starting in Perth. Should that not happen, then we'll pick it up."
Injury History
He was sidelined the white-ball matches against New Zealand and India in the previous weeks after examinations confirmed a lumbar bone stress.
There is a track record of back injuries, with flare-ups in several earlier campaigns forcing him out of multiple domestic campaigns in a limited period.
He emphasized he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his rehabilitation process to ensure his availability for the series.
The selector indicated that he did not know if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his comeback but conceded it was "getting tight" for him to regain fitness for the opener.
Alternative Arrangements
Should Cummins not be fit, ex-skipper Smith will take over the captaincy.
All-rounder Cameron Green was recently pulled out from the ODI lineup for their ODI contests against India as a precautionary measure because of an abdominal issue.
The selector characterized it as a "slight concern and stated that Green will play in the state-level matches, so will be "ideally positioned to resume bowling."
"Extensive planning has gone into developing the strategy for him to take part for the initial game as an dual-role player," Bailey explained.
"His involvement was limited to the initial matches anyway. His aggressive style the willow in shorter formats, should it hinder progress for 24 more hours, we opted to take a cautious route."
Series Schedule
Australia vs England: The Ashes
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
