The pace bowler has secured over 300 dismissals in 71 five-day games with an impressive average.
The Australian chair of selectors George Bailey has stated that captain Pat Cummins will play a "major part" in the upcoming Ashes series.
Speculation had been growing that the 32-year-old might sit out due to a ongoing back issue that remained unresolved.
Previous updates from the squad suggested no definitive call had been made regarding whether he would play, with the Test matches scheduled to begin on November 21 in Perth.
Bailey expressed that the captain is progressing and felt positive about his chances of taking part.
"It's clear that the clock is ticking and there are permutations involved, aside from the physical problem, but further aspects," he commented.
"The outlook is good. We firmly believe that he will feature a major part. Ideally starting in Perth. If not, we'll adjust."
Previous Setbacks
The captain missed the ODI and T20 games against India and New Zealand in the previous weeks after scans revealed a lower back issue.
There is a track record of back injuries, with flare-ups in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 causing him to miss multiple domestic campaigns in a short span.
He emphasized he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his recovery plan to ensure his availability for the series.
The selector indicated that he did not know if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his rehabilitation but conceded it was "getting tight" for him to be fit for the opener.
Backup Options
In case of absence, ex-skipper Smith will take over the captaincy.
The talented all-rounder was excluded lately from the national team for their limited-overs matches against India as a precautionary measure because of an abdominal issue.
The selector characterized it as a "slight concern and stated that he's scheduled to appear in the state-level matches, so will be "ideally positioned to deliver overs."
"We put so much time has gone into building out the plan for him to be available for the opening match as an all-rounder," Bailey explained.
"His involvement was limited to the first two ODIs in any case. The way he swings the bat in limited-overs, should it hinder progress for 24 more hours, we opted to approach this more conservatively."
Match Calendar
Australia vs England: The Ashes
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
