The Australian skipper has taken 309 Test scalps in 71 appearances with an stellar bowling average.
Australia's chair of selectors George Bailey has stated that captain Pat Cummins will be a central figure in the upcoming England-Australia contest.
There were concerns that Cummins might miss the series due to a persistent back stress problem that remained unresolved.
Initial reports from the squad suggested no official announcement had been made regarding whether he would play, with the extended contest set to start on 21 November in Perth.
He revealed that Cummins is "building up" and remained hopeful about the prospects of taking part.
"We're aware that the clock is ticking and multiple considerations at play, aside from his injury, but other factors as well," he commented.
"It's positive. We firmly believe that he's going to play a key capacity. With luck from the opening match. Should that not happen, then we'll pick it up."
Injury History
Cummins was ruled out the ODI and T20 games against New Zealand and India in the previous weeks after examinations confirmed a stress reaction in his back.
Previous incidents include of back injuries, with setbacks in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 forcing him out of three Australian summers in a short span.
Cummins stated he would be proactive in his approach in his recovery plan to secure his spot for the contest.
Bailey noted that it was unclear if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his rehabilitation but admitted it was "becoming urgent" for him to be fit for the opener.
Alternative Arrangements
If he's unavailable, ex-skipper Smith will take over the captaincy.
The talented all-rounder was withdrawn recently from Australia's squad for their one-day international series against the Asian giants as a preventive step because of discomfort in his torso.
He labeled it as a "slight concern and mentioned that he's scheduled to appear in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "well-prepared to be ready to bowl."
"We put so much time has gone into creating the schedule for him to be available for the first Test as an batting and bowling option," he elaborated.
"His involvement was limited to the starting games anyway. His aggressive style the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, even if it just sets him back for another day, the choice was made to approach this more conservatively."
Match Calendar
Australia vs England: The Ashes
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
