The pace bowler has taken 309 wickets in 71 appearances with an stellar bowling average.
Australia's chief selector George Bailey has stated that captain Pat Cummins will be a central figure in the forthcoming historic rivalry.
Rumors had circulated that the 32-year-old might be unavailable due to a stress fracture in his back that was still troubling him.
Previous updates from the Australian camp suggested no official announcement had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the five-Test series set to start on 21 November in the WACA.
Bailey expressed that his recovery is on track and felt positive about the likelihood of being involved.
"It's clear that the window is narrowing and multiple considerations at play, not just the physical problem, but additional elements," he commented.
"The outlook is good. We firmly believe that he'll participate in a key capacity. With luck starting in Perth. Should that not happen, then we'll pick it up."
Previous Setbacks
He was sidelined the ODI and T20 games against India and New Zealand last month after medical tests showed a lower back issue.
Previous incidents include of back injuries, with setbacks in multiple past seasons forcing him out of three Australian summers in a limited period.
Cummins stated he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his rehabilitation process to ensure his availability for the contest.
He mentioned that it was unclear if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his recovery but conceded it was "pressing" for him to regain fitness for the initial match.
Alternative Arrangements
If he's unavailable, veteran batsman Smith will assume leadership.
The talented all-rounder was withdrawn recently from the ODI lineup for their limited-overs matches against the Asian giants as a preventive step because of discomfort in his torso.
Bailey described it as a "small issue and mentioned that he'll feature in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "well-prepared to deliver overs."
"Considerable effort has gone into developing the strategy for him to take part for the initial game as an all-rounder," Bailey explained.
"His involvement was limited to the initial matches regardless. His aggressive style the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, even if it just sets him back for a short period, the choice was made to adopt a safer strategy."
Fixture Details
Australia vs England: The Ashes
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
