Pat Cummins has claimed 309 wickets in 71 five-day games with an average of 22.10.
Australia's selection chief the selector has confirmed that skipper Cummins will be a central figure in the upcoming historic rivalry.
There were concerns that the 32-year-old might be unavailable due to a stress fracture in his back that was still troubling him.
Earlier indications from the squad suggested no final decision had been made regarding whether he would play, with the Test matches kicking off on November 21 in the WACA.
He revealed that his recovery is on track and felt positive about the likelihood of being involved.
"We know that time is getting short and various factors at play, not just the physical problem, but additional elements," the selector added.
"The outlook is good. We firmly believe that he will feature a key capacity. With luck it's the first Test. If not, then we'll pick it up."
Previous Setbacks
Cummins was ruled out the white-ball matches against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals recently after examinations confirmed a lower back issue.
There is a track record of spinal problems, with setbacks in multiple past seasons leading to absences from several home seasons in a short span.
He emphasized he would be proactive in his approach in his rehabilitation process to ensure his availability for the Ashes.
He mentioned that he did not know if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his recovery but admitted it was "pressing" for him to recover fully for the opener.
Backup Options
In case of absence, veteran batsman Smith will assume leadership.
The talented all-rounder was excluded lately from Australia's squad for their one-day international series against the subcontinent side as a precautionary measure because of soreness in his side.
He labeled it as a "small issue and confirmed that he's scheduled to appear in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "in a good place to resume bowling."
"Extensive planning has gone into developing the strategy for him to participate for the opening match as an dual-role player," Bailey explained.
"He was only going to play the starting games regardless. His aggressive style the willow in shorter formats, should it hinder progress for a short period, we opted to approach this more conservatively."
Match Calendar
The Historic Rivalry
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
