The Australian skipper has taken 309 Test scalps in 71 Test matches with an impressive average.
Australia's selection chief George Bailey has declared that captain Pat Cummins will play a "major part" in this winter's Ashes series.
There were concerns that the 32-year-old might be unavailable due to a stress fracture in his back that had not yet healed.
Previous updates from the Australian camp suggested no official announcement had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the five-Test series scheduled to begin on 21 November in Perth.
The selector shared that Cummins is "building up" and was "optimistic" about the likelihood of participating.
"We're aware that the window is narrowing and there are permutations at play, not just his injury, but further aspects," the selector added.
"It's positive. There's strong faith that he will feature a key capacity. Ideally starting in Perth. Otherwise, then we'll pick it up."
Previous Setbacks
Cummins was ruled out the white-ball matches against New Zealand and India recently after medical tests showed a lumbar bone stress.
There is a track record of spinal problems, with setbacks in multiple past seasons causing him to miss multiple domestic campaigns in four years.
The bowler mentioned he would be proactive in his approach in his recovery plan to secure his spot for the Ashes.
The selector indicated that it was unclear if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his recovery but acknowledged it was "becoming urgent" for him to regain fitness for the opener.
Alternative Arrangements
In case of absence, veteran batsman Smith will take over the captaincy.
The talented all-rounder was recently pulled out from Australia's squad for their ODI contests against the Asian giants as a preventive step because of discomfort in his torso.
He labeled it as a "minor" injury and confirmed that he'll feature in the state-level matches, so will be "in a good place to be ready to bowl."
"We put so much time has gone into developing the strategy for him to participate for the opening match as an all-rounder," the selector detailed.
"His involvement was limited to the first two ODIs regardless. How he handles the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, should it hinder progress for 24 more hours, we just made the decision to take a cautious route."
Series Schedule
The Historic Rivalry
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
