Pat Cummins has secured over 300 dismissals in 71 five-day games with an average of 22.10.
Australia's selection chief George Bailey has confirmed that pace spearhead Cummins will be a central figure in the forthcoming historic rivalry.
Speculation had been growing that Cummins might sit out due to a stress fracture in his back that remained unresolved.
Previous updates from team management suggested no definitive call had been made regarding whether he would play, with the Test matches scheduled to begin on 21 November in the WACA.
The selector shared that Cummins is "building up" and was "optimistic" about the likelihood of participating.
"We know that time is getting short and there are permutations involved, not only his injury, but additional elements," the selector added.
"It's positive. We firmly believe that he'll participate in a significant role. With luck from the opening match. If not, we'll reassess."
Injury History
Cummins was ruled out Australia's limited-overs series against New Zealand and India recently after examinations confirmed a stress reaction in his back.
He has a history of recurring issues, with setbacks in several earlier campaigns forcing him out of several home seasons in a limited period.
Cummins stated he would be proactive in his approach in his comeback strategy to make the squad for the Ashes.
He mentioned that there was no confirmation if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his comeback but conceded it was "getting tight" for him to recover fully for the first Test.
Contingency Plans
Should Cummins not be fit, veteran batsman Smith will assume leadership.
The talented all-rounder was withdrawn recently from the national team for their limited-overs matches against the subcontinent side as a safety move because of discomfort in his torso.
The selector characterized it as a "minor" injury and mentioned that he's scheduled to appear in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "ideally positioned to be ready to bowl."
"Considerable effort has gone into developing the strategy for him to be available for the initial game as an batting and bowling option," the selector detailed.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the starting games in any case. The way he swings the willow in shorter formats, should it hinder progress for another day, we just made the decision to take a cautious route."
Fixture Details
The Historic Rivalry
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
