The pace bowler has taken over 300 dismissals in 71 Test matches with an stellar bowling average.
The Australian chair of selectors George Bailey has confirmed that captain Pat Cummins will have a crucial role in this winter's Ashes series.
There were concerns that the 32-year-old might miss the series due to a persistent back stress problem that remained unresolved.
Previous updates from team management suggested no official announcement had been made regarding his involvement, with the extended contest scheduled to begin on November 21 in Western Australia.
He revealed that Cummins is "building up" and felt positive about the likelihood of being involved.
"We know that the window is narrowing and there are permutations around that, not just the back issue, but other factors as well," the selector added.
"We're encouraged. There's strong faith that he will feature a significant role. Hopefully starting in Perth. Should that not happen, we'll reassess."
Previous Setbacks
Cummins was ruled out the white-ball matches against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals in the previous weeks after scans revealed a lower back issue.
He has a history of recurring issues, with setbacks in multiple past seasons forcing him out of three Australian summers in a limited period.
The bowler mentioned 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 Cummins had begun bowling as part of his comeback but acknowledged it was "pressing" for him to recover fully for the opener.
Contingency Plans
Should Cummins not be fit, ex-skipper Smith will take over the captaincy.
All-rounder Cameron Green was withdrawn recently from the national team for their ODI contests against India as a preventive step because of an abdominal issue.
He labeled it as a "slight concern and stated that Green will play in the state-level matches, so will be "well-prepared to be ready to bowl."
"Considerable effort has gone into building out the plan for him to participate for the opening match as an all-rounder," he elaborated.
"He was only going to play the initial matches regardless. His aggressive style the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, even if it just sets him back for another day, we just made the decision to adopt a safer strategy."
Fixture Details
The Ashes: Australia v England
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
