The Australian skipper has secured 309 wickets in 71 Test matches with an stellar bowling average.
The Australian selection chief George Bailey has stated that captain Pat Cummins will have a crucial role in the forthcoming Ashes series.
Speculation had been growing that the veteran bowler might miss the series due to a persistent back stress problem that had not yet healed.
Earlier indications from the squad suggested no final decision had been made regarding his involvement, with the five-Test series set to start on 21 November in Western Australia.
He revealed that Cummins is "building up" and was "optimistic" about the prospects of being involved.
"We know that time is getting short and multiple considerations involved, not just the physical problem, but further aspects," Bailey remarked.
"We're encouraged. [We are] really confident that he will feature a key capacity. Hopefully starting in Perth. Should that not happen, we'll adjust."
Past Concerns
The captain missed the white-ball matches against India and New Zealand recently after medical tests showed a lumbar bone stress.
He has a history of back injuries, with recurrences in multiple past seasons causing him to miss three Australian summers in a short span.
The bowler mentioned he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his recovery plan to make the squad for the Ashes.
The selector indicated that he did not know if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his comeback but conceded it was "pressing" for him to recover fully for the initial match.
Backup Options
In case of absence, veteran batsman Smith will take over the captaincy.
The talented all-rounder was withdrawn recently from Australia's squad for their limited-overs matches against the Asian giants as a safety move because of soreness in his side.
Bailey described it as a "small issue and confirmed that he's scheduled to appear in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "ideally positioned to deliver overs."
"Extensive planning has gone into developing the strategy for him to take part for the initial game as an dual-role player," Bailey explained.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the first two ODIs in any case. His aggressive style the willow in shorter formats, should it hinder progress for 24 more hours, the choice was made to take a cautious route."
Match Calendar
The Ashes: Australia v England
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
