The Australian skipper has secured 309 Test scalps in 71 appearances with an average of 22.10.
Australia's chief selector George Bailey has confirmed that captain Pat Cummins will have a crucial role in this winter's England-Australia contest.
Rumors had circulated that the 32-year-old might miss the series due to a stress fracture in his back that remained unresolved.
Previous updates from the Australian camp suggested no definitive call had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the five-Test series scheduled to begin on November 21 in Perth.
Bailey expressed that his recovery is on track and was "optimistic" about the prospects of taking part.
"It's clear that time is getting short and multiple considerations at play, not only the physical problem, but further aspects," Bailey remarked.
"The outlook is good. We firmly believe that he will feature a key capacity. With luck starting in Perth. Should that not happen, we'll reassess."
Past Concerns
The captain missed the white-ball matches against India and New Zealand recently after scans revealed a lower back issue.
Previous incidents include of back injuries, with recurrences in several earlier campaigns forcing him out of three Australian summers in a short span.
Cummins stated he would be bold in recovery efforts in his recovery plan to ensure his availability for the Ashes.
The selector indicated that there was no confirmation if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his comeback but admitted it was "getting tight" for him to regain fitness for the opener.
Alternative Arrangements
In case of absence, ex-skipper Smith will lead the side.
All-rounder Cameron Green was recently pulled out from the ODI lineup for their ODI contests against the subcontinent side as a precautionary measure because of discomfort in his torso.
He labeled it as a "slight concern and confirmed that Green will play in the state-level matches, so will be "ideally positioned to resume bowling."
"We put so much time has gone into building out the plan for him to take part for the first Test as an all-rounder," Bailey explained.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the initial matches anyway. How he handles the willow in shorter formats, should it hinder progress for a short period, the choice was made to approach this more conservatively."
Series Schedule
The Historic Rivalry
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
