The Australian skipper has claimed 309 wickets in 71 appearances with an impressive average.
The Australian chief selector George Bailey has declared that captain Pat Cummins will have a crucial role in the upcoming England-Australia contest.
There were concerns that Cummins might miss the series due to a ongoing back issue that remained unresolved.
Previous updates from the squad suggested no final decision had been made regarding whether he would play, with the five-Test series scheduled to begin on November 21 in Perth.
The selector shared that the captain is progressing and was "optimistic" about the likelihood of being involved.
"It's clear that the clock is ticking and multiple considerations around that, not just his injury, but other factors as well," the selector added.
"The outlook is good. [We are] really confident that he'll participate in a key capacity. With luck from the opening match. Otherwise, we'll adjust."
Injury History
The captain missed the ODI and T20 games against India and New Zealand last month after scans revealed a lumbar bone stress.
There is a track record of back injuries, with recurrences in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 leading to absences from three Australian summers in four years.
The bowler mentioned he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his rehabilitation process to ensure his availability for the Ashes.
Bailey noted that he did not know if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his comeback but conceded it was "pressing" for him to be fit for the first Test.
Contingency Plans
Should Cummins not be fit, veteran batsman Smith will assume leadership.
Versatile player Green was excluded lately from the ODI lineup for their ODI contests against the subcontinent side as a safety move because of an abdominal issue.
The selector characterized it as a "small issue and stated that Green will play in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "in a good place to resume bowling."
"We put so much time has gone into creating the schedule for him to be available for the first Test as an all-rounder," Bailey explained.
"He was only going to play the initial matches anyway. How he handles the bat in limited-overs, should it hinder progress for 24 more hours, we just made the decision to take a cautious route."
Series Schedule
Australia vs England: The Ashes
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
