The pace bowler has secured over 300 dismissals in 71 appearances with an stellar bowling average.
The Australian chair of selectors George Bailey has stated that captain Pat Cummins will play a "major part" in the upcoming Ashes series.
Rumors had circulated that Cummins might be unavailable due to a persistent back stress problem that was still troubling him.
Initial reports from team management suggested no official announcement had been made regarding whether he would play, with the Test matches scheduled to begin on November 21 in Western Australia.
The selector shared that his recovery is on track and was "optimistic" about the likelihood of taking part.
"We know that time is getting short and multiple considerations around that, not just his injury, but additional elements," the selector added.
"We're encouraged. [We are] really confident that he's going to play a significant role. Ideally starting in Perth. Otherwise, then we'll pick it up."
Injury History
The captain missed Australia's limited-overs series against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals in the previous weeks after scans revealed a lower back issue.
There is a track record of spinal problems, with recurrences in multiple past seasons leading to absences from several home seasons in four years.
He emphasized he would be proactive in his approach in his comeback strategy to secure his spot for the Ashes.
Bailey noted that there was no confirmation if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his recovery but acknowledged it was "pressing" for him to recover fully for the first Test.
Alternative Arrangements
If he's unavailable, ex-skipper Smith will take over the captaincy.
Versatile player Green was recently pulled out from Australia's squad for their ODI contests against India as a preventive step because of discomfort in his torso.
The selector characterized it as a "minor" injury and mentioned that Green will play in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "in a good place to be ready to bowl."
"Extensive planning has gone into building out the plan for him to be available for the opening match as an all-rounder," the selector detailed.
"His involvement was limited to the initial matches regardless. How he handles the bat in limited-overs, should it hinder progress for another day, we just made the decision to approach this more conservatively."
Series Schedule
Australia vs England: The Ashes
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
