The pace bowler has claimed over 300 dismissals in 71 Test matches with an impressive average.
The Australian chief selector George Bailey has declared that captain Pat Cummins will have a crucial role in this winter's Ashes series.
Speculation had been growing that Cummins might miss the series due to a stress fracture in his back that remained unresolved.
Initial reports from the squad suggested no official announcement had been made regarding whether he would play, with the Test matches kicking off on the 21st of November in Perth.
He revealed that Cummins is "building up" and remained hopeful about the prospects of taking part.
"It's clear that the window is narrowing and multiple considerations involved, not only the back issue, but other factors as well," he commented.
"It's positive. We firmly believe that he will feature a key capacity. With luck starting in Perth. Otherwise, then we'll pick it up."
Past Concerns
He was sidelined the white-ball matches against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals last month after examinations confirmed a stress reaction in his back.
There is a track record of back injuries, with flare-ups in several earlier campaigns causing him to miss three Australian summers in a limited period.
The bowler mentioned he would be bold in recovery efforts in his rehabilitation process to ensure his availability for the series.
Bailey noted that there was no confirmation if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his comeback but admitted it was "getting tight" for him to be fit for the first Test.
Contingency Plans
If he's unavailable, ex-skipper Smith will assume leadership.
The talented all-rounder was withdrawn recently from the national team for their limited-overs matches against India as a preventive step because of discomfort in his torso.
He labeled it as a "small issue and mentioned that he'll feature in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "in a good place to resume bowling."
"We put so much time has gone into building out the plan for him to be available for the opening match as an dual-role player," he elaborated.
"He was only going to play the first two ODIs in any case. How he handles the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, even if it just sets him back for another day, we just made the decision to approach this more conservatively."
Series Schedule
The Ashes: Australia v England
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
