Pat Cummins has claimed 309 wickets in 71 five-day games with an average of 22.10.
Australia's chief selector George Bailey has stated that pace spearhead Cummins will be a central figure in this winter's historic rivalry.
There were concerns that the 32-year-old might be unavailable due to a stress fracture in his back that had not yet healed.
Earlier indications from the Australian camp suggested no final decision had been made regarding his involvement, with the five-Test series scheduled to begin on November 21 in the WACA.
Bailey expressed that his recovery is on track and was "optimistic" about his chances of being involved.
"It's clear that time is getting short and there are permutations at play, not just the back issue, but additional elements," Bailey remarked.
"The outlook is good. [We are] really confident that he will feature a major part. Ideally starting in Perth. Otherwise, we'll reassess."
Previous Setbacks
He was sidelined Australia's limited-overs series against New Zealand and India in the previous weeks after scans revealed a lower back issue.
Previous incidents include of spinal problems, with setbacks in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 forcing him out of several home seasons in a limited period.
The bowler mentioned he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his rehabilitation process to secure his spot for the Ashes.
He mentioned that it was unclear if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his comeback but conceded it was "getting tight" for him to be fit for the first Test.
Backup Options
If he's unavailable, veteran batsman Smith will assume leadership.
The talented all-rounder was recently pulled out from the ODI lineup for their one-day international series against India as a precautionary measure because of an abdominal issue.
He labeled it as a "slight concern and stated that he's scheduled to appear in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "in a good place to resume bowling."
"Considerable effort has gone into developing the strategy for him to be available for the opening match as an batting and bowling option," Bailey explained.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the first two ODIs regardless. His aggressive style the bat in limited-overs, if it causes any delay for a short period, the choice was made to approach this more conservatively."
Fixture Details
The Ashes: Australia v England
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
