Pat Cummins has taken 309 Test scalps in 71 appearances with an average of 22.10.
Australia's selection chief George Bailey has confirmed that pace spearhead Cummins will play a "major part" in the forthcoming England-Australia contest.
Rumors had circulated that the 32-year-old might miss the series due to a stress fracture in his back that had not yet healed.
Earlier indications from team management suggested no official announcement had been made regarding his involvement, with the Test matches set to start on November 21 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 there are permutations involved, not just the physical problem, but additional elements," the selector added.
"The outlook is good. We firmly believe that he'll participate in a significant role. With luck it's the first Test. If not, then we'll pick it up."
Previous Setbacks
He was sidelined Australia's limited-overs series against India and New Zealand recently after scans revealed a lumbar bone stress.
He has a history of back injuries, with setbacks in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 leading to absences from three Australian summers in a short span.
Cummins stated he would be bold in recovery efforts in his recovery plan to secure his spot for the contest.
The selector indicated that there was no confirmation if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his comeback but acknowledged it was "becoming urgent" for him to recover fully for the initial match.
Alternative Arrangements
If he's unavailable, veteran batsman Smith will assume leadership.
All-rounder Cameron Green was recently pulled out from the national team for their ODI contests against the subcontinent side as a preventive step because of an abdominal issue.
The selector characterized it as a "small issue and mentioned that he's scheduled to appear in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "well-prepared 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," the selector detailed.
"He was only going to play the initial matches anyway. How he handles the bat in limited-overs, even if it just sets him back for another day, we just made the decision to adopt a safer strategy."
Fixture Details
Australia vs England: The Ashes
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
