The pace bowler has secured 309 wickets in 71 appearances with an stellar bowling average.
Australia's selection chief George Bailey has declared that captain Pat Cummins will have a crucial role in the upcoming historic rivalry.
Rumors had circulated that the veteran bowler might sit out due to a ongoing back issue that had not yet healed.
Previous updates from team management suggested no final decision had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the five-Test series kicking off on November 21 in Perth.
The selector shared that his recovery is on track and remained hopeful about the prospects of being involved.
"We're aware that the clock is ticking and various factors around that, not just his injury, but further aspects," the selector added.
"The outlook is good. There's strong faith that he will feature a major part. Hopefully starting in Perth. Otherwise, we'll reassess."
Previous Setbacks
He was sidelined the white-ball matches against India and New Zealand recently after medical tests showed a lumbar bone stress.
There is a track record of recurring issues, with flare-ups in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 forcing him out of several home seasons in a limited period.
He emphasized he would be bold in recovery efforts in his rehabilitation process to make the squad for the series.
Bailey noted that it was unclear if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his recovery but conceded it was "becoming urgent" for him to recover fully for the initial match.
Alternative Arrangements
In case of absence, veteran batsman Smith will lead the side.
All-rounder Cameron Green was recently pulled out from the national team for their limited-overs matches against the subcontinent side as a safety move because of soreness in his side.
Bailey described it as a "slight concern and confirmed that Green will play 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 creating the schedule for him to be available for the initial game as an batting and bowling option," he elaborated.
"His involvement was limited to the starting games regardless. The way he swings the willow in shorter formats, even if it just sets him back for a short period, the choice was made to adopt a safer strategy."
Match Calendar
The Ashes: Australia v England
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
