The Australian skipper has taken 309 wickets in 71 five-day games 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 Ashes series.
There were concerns that Cummins might miss the series due to a stress fracture in his back that remained unresolved.
Previous updates from team management suggested no final decision had been made regarding whether he would play, with the Test matches scheduled to begin on the 21st of November in Perth.
The selector shared that the captain is progressing and felt positive about the prospects of being involved.
"It's clear that the window is narrowing and there are permutations at play, aside from the physical problem, but additional elements," the selector added.
"We're encouraged. There's strong faith that he'll participate in a key capacity. Hopefully from the opening match. If not, we'll adjust."
Injury History
The captain missed Australia's limited-overs series against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals in the previous weeks after scans revealed a lumbar bone stress.
He has a history of recurring issues, with recurrences in multiple past seasons leading to absences from multiple domestic campaigns in a limited period.
The bowler mentioned he would be proactive in his approach in his rehabilitation process to make the squad for the contest.
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
Should Cummins not be fit, ex-skipper Smith will assume leadership.
The talented all-rounder was excluded lately from the ODI lineup for their ODI contests against India as a safety move because of discomfort in his torso.
Bailey described it as a "slight concern and mentioned that he's scheduled to appear in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "ideally positioned to resume bowling."
"Considerable effort has gone into building out the plan for him to take part for the initial game as an batting and bowling option," the selector detailed.
"He was only going to play the initial matches in any case. How he handles the willow in shorter formats, should it hinder progress for 24 more hours, we just made the decision to adopt a safer strategy."
Series Schedule
The Ashes: Australia v England
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
