The Australian skipper has taken 309 Test scalps in 71 Test matches with an average of 22.10.
Australia's selection chief George Bailey has confirmed that captain Pat Cummins will be a central figure in this winter's historic rivalry.
Speculation had been growing that the veteran bowler might miss the series due to a ongoing back issue that was still troubling him.
Previous updates from team management suggested no official announcement had been made regarding his involvement, with the five-Test series kicking off on the 21st of November in Perth.
Bailey expressed that Cummins is "building up" and felt positive about the likelihood of taking part.
"It's clear that time is getting short and multiple considerations at play, aside from the back issue, but other factors as well," the selector added.
"We're encouraged. [We are] really confident that he will feature a significant role. Hopefully it's the first Test. Otherwise, we'll reassess."
Injury History
Cummins was ruled out the white-ball matches against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals in the previous weeks after examinations confirmed a stress reaction in his back.
There is a track record of spinal problems, with recurrences in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 causing him to miss three Australian summers in a limited period.
Cummins stated he would be bold in recovery efforts in his comeback strategy to make the squad for the Ashes.
He mentioned that it was unclear if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his recovery but conceded it was "getting tight" for him to regain fitness for the first Test.
Contingency Plans
If he's unavailable, ex-skipper Smith will lead the side.
All-rounder Cameron Green was excluded lately from the ODI lineup for their one-day international series against the subcontinent side as a precautionary measure because of an abdominal issue.
He labeled it as a "minor" injury and stated that he's scheduled to appear in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "well-prepared to deliver overs."
"Extensive planning has gone into developing the strategy for him to take part for the first Test as an all-rounder," he elaborated.
"He was only going to play the initial matches regardless. The way he swings the bat in limited-overs, should it hinder progress for another day, we opted to approach this more conservatively."
Fixture Details
The Ashes: Australia v England
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
