Pat Cummins has claimed 309 wickets in 71 five-day games with an impressive average.
Australia's selection chief George Bailey has declared that pace spearhead Cummins will have a crucial role in this winter's Ashes series.
Speculation had been growing that Cummins might be unavailable due to a stress fracture in his back that was still troubling him.
Initial reports from the squad suggested no final decision had been made regarding his involvement, with the five-Test series kicking off on 21 November in Western Australia.
The selector shared that the captain is progressing and felt positive about the likelihood of taking part.
"We're aware that time is getting short and multiple considerations involved, not just the back issue, but further aspects," the selector added.
"The outlook is good. There's strong faith that he will feature a significant role. Hopefully starting in Perth. Otherwise, then we'll pick it up."
Previous Setbacks
Cummins was ruled out Australia's limited-overs series against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals last month after examinations confirmed a lower back issue.
There is a track record of spinal problems, with flare-ups in several earlier campaigns forcing him out of three Australian summers in a short span.
The bowler mentioned he would be proactive in his approach in his comeback strategy to secure his spot for the contest.
Bailey noted that he did not know if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his recovery but conceded it was "becoming urgent" for him to recover fully for the initial match.
Backup Options
Should Cummins not be fit, veteran batsman Smith will take over the captaincy.
The talented all-rounder was excluded lately from the national team for their one-day international series against India as a preventive step because of soreness in his side.
The selector characterized it as a "small issue and confirmed that he's scheduled to appear in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "well-prepared to deliver overs."
"Considerable effort has gone into developing the strategy for him to take part for the first Test as an dual-role player," Bailey explained.
"His involvement was limited to the first two ODIs in any case. His aggressive style the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, if it causes any delay for a short period, the choice was made to take a cautious route."
Series Schedule
The Historic Rivalry
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
