The pace bowler has taken 309 Test scalps in 71 Test matches with an average of 22.10.
Australia's selection chief George Bailey has declared that captain Pat Cummins will be a central figure in this winter's historic rivalry.
Rumors had circulated that the veteran bowler might sit out due to a stress fracture in his back that remained unresolved.
Earlier indications from the squad suggested no final decision had been made regarding whether he would play, with the five-Test series scheduled to begin on the 21st of November in Western Australia.
Bailey expressed that Cummins is "building up" and was "optimistic" about the likelihood of participating.
"It's clear that the clock is ticking and various factors at play, not only the physical problem, but other factors as well," the selector added.
"We're encouraged. We firmly believe that he will feature a key capacity. Hopefully it's the first Test. Otherwise, then we'll pick it up."
Injury History
The captain missed Australia's limited-overs series against India and New Zealand last month after scans revealed a lower back issue.
Previous incidents include of spinal problems, with setbacks in multiple past seasons causing him to miss multiple domestic campaigns in a limited period.
He emphasized he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his comeback strategy to make the squad for the series.
The selector indicated that there was no confirmation if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his rehabilitation but conceded it was "getting tight" for him to recover fully for the opener.
Contingency Plans
In case of absence, veteran batsman Smith will take over the captaincy.
The talented all-rounder was withdrawn recently from the ODI lineup for their one-day international series against the Asian giants as a precautionary measure because of discomfort in his torso.
Bailey described it as a "minor" injury and mentioned that he's scheduled to appear in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "in a good place to resume bowling."
"Extensive planning has gone into developing the strategy for him to participate for the first Test as an dual-role player," he elaborated.
"He was only going to play the starting games regardless. His aggressive style the willow in shorter formats, if it causes any delay for a short period, the choice was made to adopt a safer strategy."
Fixture Details
The Ashes: Australia v England
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
