The Australian skipper has taken 309 Test scalps in 71 appearances with an average of 22.10.
Australia's chair of selectors George Bailey has stated that captain Pat Cummins will have a crucial role in this winter's England-Australia contest.
Speculation had been growing that Cummins might miss the series due to a ongoing back issue that remained unresolved.
Previous updates from team management suggested no final decision had been made regarding whether he would play, with the extended contest scheduled to begin on 21 November in Western Australia.
He revealed that Cummins is "building up" and was "optimistic" about his chances of taking part.
"It's clear that the clock is ticking and multiple considerations around that, aside from the back issue, but additional elements," the selector added.
"The outlook is good. We firmly believe that he will feature a key capacity. With luck from the opening match. Should that not happen, then we'll pick it up."
Previous Setbacks
He was sidelined the ODI and T20 games against New Zealand and India last month after examinations confirmed a lumbar bone stress.
Previous incidents include of back injuries, with flare-ups in several earlier campaigns causing him to miss multiple domestic campaigns in a short span.
He emphasized he would be bold in recovery efforts in his comeback strategy to make the squad for the contest.
The selector indicated that it was unclear if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his comeback but acknowledged it was "getting tight" for him to recover fully for the initial match.
Alternative Arrangements
Should Cummins not be fit, veteran batsman Smith will lead the side.
All-rounder Cameron Green was withdrawn recently from Australia's squad for their one-day international series against India as a safety move because of discomfort in his torso.
The selector characterized it as a "slight concern and mentioned that Green will play in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "in a good place to be ready to bowl."
"Extensive planning has gone into creating the schedule for him to be available for the first Test as an batting and bowling option," Bailey explained.
"His involvement was limited to the starting games regardless. The way he swings the bat in limited-overs, even if it just sets him back for a short period, we opted to approach this more conservatively."
Series Schedule
Australia vs England: The Ashes
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
