The Australian skipper has taken 309 wickets in 71 five-day games with an average of 22.10.
Australia's chair of selectors George Bailey has declared that captain Pat Cummins will play a "major part" in the upcoming Ashes series.
There were concerns that the veteran bowler might be unavailable due to a stress fracture in his back that was still troubling him.
Initial reports from the Australian camp suggested no official announcement had been made regarding his involvement, with the extended contest scheduled to begin on 21 November in Perth.
He revealed that the captain is progressing and felt positive about the prospects of taking part.
"It's clear that time is getting short and various factors at play, aside from his injury, but further aspects," the selector added.
"It's positive. [We are] really confident that he's going to play a significant role. With luck it's the first Test. Otherwise, we'll reassess."
Previous Setbacks
Cummins was ruled out Australia's limited-overs series against New Zealand and India in the previous weeks after scans revealed a lower back issue.
Previous incidents include of spinal problems, with flare-ups in multiple past seasons leading to absences from multiple domestic campaigns in a limited period.
Cummins stated he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his rehabilitation process to secure his spot for the contest.
Bailey noted that there was no confirmation if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his rehabilitation but admitted it was "getting tight" for him to recover fully for the initial match.
Alternative Arrangements
If he's unavailable, ex-skipper Smith will lead the side.
Versatile player Green was excluded lately from the national team for their limited-overs matches against the Asian giants as a precautionary measure because of an abdominal issue.
Bailey described it as a "small issue and confirmed that Green will play in the state-level matches, so will be "ideally positioned to be ready to bowl."
"Extensive planning has gone into building out the plan for him to participate for the initial game as an all-rounder," the selector detailed.
"His involvement was limited to the starting games anyway. The way he swings the bat in limited-overs, if it causes any delay for another day, we opted to adopt a safer strategy."
Fixture Details
The Ashes: Australia v England
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
