Pat Cummins has claimed 309 wickets in 71 appearances with an impressive average.
Australia's selection chief George Bailey has stated that pace spearhead Cummins will be a central figure in the upcoming historic rivalry.
There were concerns that the 32-year-old might be unavailable due to a stress fracture in his back that was still troubling him.
Initial reports from team management suggested no final decision had been made regarding his involvement, with the extended contest kicking off on November 21 in the WACA.
Bailey expressed that the captain is progressing and felt positive about the prospects of participating.
"We're aware that the clock is ticking and multiple considerations at play, aside from his injury, but additional elements," he commented.
"It's positive. There's strong faith that he'll participate in a key capacity. With luck it's the first Test. Should that not happen, we'll reassess."
Injury History
The captain missed the white-ball matches against India and New Zealand recently after medical tests showed a lower back issue.
He has a history of back injuries, with setbacks in several earlier campaigns leading to absences from several home seasons in a short span.
The bowler mentioned he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his rehabilitation process to ensure his availability for the series.
The selector indicated that he did not know if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his comeback but conceded it was "pressing" for him to recover fully for the first Test.
Backup Options
Should Cummins not be fit, ex-skipper Smith will take over the captaincy.
The talented all-rounder was recently pulled out from the ODI lineup for their limited-overs matches against the Asian giants as a safety move because of an abdominal issue.
He labeled it as a "minor" injury and stated that he'll feature in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "in a good place to be ready to bowl."
"Considerable effort has gone into developing the strategy for him to participate for the initial game as an all-rounder," the selector detailed.
"He was only going to play the starting games in any case. How he handles the willow in shorter formats, even if it just sets him back for a short period, the choice was made to approach this more conservatively."
Series Schedule
The Ashes: Australia v England
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
