The pace bowler has secured over 300 dismissals in 71 appearances with an stellar bowling average.
Australia's chief selector George Bailey has stated that captain Pat Cummins will play a "major part" in the upcoming historic rivalry.
Speculation had been growing that the veteran bowler might sit out due to a persistent back stress problem that was still troubling him.
Previous updates from the squad suggested no final decision had been made regarding whether he would play, with the extended contest scheduled to begin on 21 November in Western Australia.
The selector shared that Cummins is "building up" and remained hopeful about the prospects of participating.
"We're aware that time is getting short and multiple considerations involved, not just the back issue, but other factors as well," Bailey remarked.
"It's positive. We firmly believe that he will feature a major part. Ideally from the opening match. Otherwise, then we'll pick it up."
Past Concerns
He was sidelined Australia's limited-overs series against New Zealand and India last month after examinations confirmed a lumbar bone stress.
Previous incidents include of recurring issues, with setbacks in multiple past seasons causing him to miss three Australian summers in a short span.
The bowler mentioned he would be proactive in his approach in his rehabilitation process to secure his spot for the contest.
He mentioned that there was no confirmation if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his recovery but acknowledged it was "becoming urgent" for him to be fit for the opener.
Contingency Plans
Should Cummins not be fit, ex-skipper Smith will assume leadership.
All-rounder Cameron Green was recently pulled out from the national team for their ODI contests against the subcontinent side as a safety move because of discomfort in his torso.
The selector characterized it as a "slight concern and confirmed that he's scheduled to appear in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "ideally positioned to deliver overs."
"We put so much time has gone into building out the plan for him to participate for the opening match as an all-rounder," Bailey explained.
"He was only going to play the first two ODIs regardless. The way he swings the willow in shorter formats, if it causes any delay for a short period, we opted to adopt a safer strategy."
Match Calendar
Australia vs England: The Ashes
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
