The Australian skipper has claimed 309 Test scalps in 71 appearances with an average of 22.10.
Australia's chief selector George Bailey has stated that captain Pat Cummins will have a crucial role in the upcoming Ashes series.
There were concerns that the 32-year-old might be unavailable due to a ongoing back issue that was still troubling him.
Previous updates from team management suggested no definitive call had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the Test matches kicking off on 21 November in Western Australia.
The selector shared that his recovery is on track and was "optimistic" about the likelihood of taking part.
"It's clear that the window is narrowing and various factors around that, not just the physical problem, but additional elements," Bailey remarked.
"We're encouraged. We firmly believe that he's going to play a key capacity. Hopefully from the opening match. If not, we'll reassess."
Previous Setbacks
The captain missed the ODI and T20 games against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals in the previous weeks after examinations confirmed a lumbar bone stress.
He has a history of back injuries, with recurrences in multiple past seasons leading to absences from three Australian summers in four years.
Cummins stated he would be proactive in his approach in his recovery plan to ensure his availability for the series.
He mentioned that there was no confirmation if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his comeback but acknowledged it was "becoming urgent" for him to recover fully for the initial match.
Contingency Plans
If he's unavailable, veteran batsman Smith will assume leadership.
All-rounder Cameron Green was excluded lately from the ODI lineup for their ODI contests against India as a preventive step because of an abdominal issue.
Bailey described it as a "minor" injury and confirmed that he'll feature in the state-level matches, so will be "well-prepared to deliver overs."
"Considerable effort has gone into building out the plan for him to participate for the opening match as an all-rounder," Bailey explained.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the initial matches anyway. How he handles the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, even if it just sets him back for another day, the choice was made to adopt a safer strategy."
Match Calendar
The Ashes: Australia v England
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
