The pace bowler has secured 309 wickets in 71 Test matches with an average of 22.10.
The Australian chair of selectors the selector has declared that captain Pat Cummins will be a central figure in this winter's England-Australia contest.
Rumors had circulated that the veteran bowler might miss the series due to a stress fracture in his back that remained unresolved.
Initial reports from the squad suggested no final decision had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the extended contest set to start on 21 November in the WACA.
The selector shared that his recovery is on track and remained hopeful about the likelihood of being involved.
"We're aware that the clock is ticking and multiple considerations around that, not only the back issue, but additional elements," Bailey remarked.
"It's positive. There's strong faith that he will feature a major part. Hopefully starting in Perth. Otherwise, we'll adjust."
Injury History
The captain missed the ODI and T20 games against India and New Zealand in the previous weeks after examinations confirmed a lumbar bone stress.
Previous incidents include of back injuries, with recurrences in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 forcing him out of three Australian summers in a limited period.
The bowler mentioned he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his comeback strategy to secure his spot for the series.
He mentioned that there was no confirmation if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his recovery but admitted it was "becoming urgent" for him to recover fully for the opener.
Contingency Plans
Should Cummins not be fit, veteran batsman Smith will lead the side.
The talented all-rounder was excluded lately from Australia's squad for their one-day international series against the Asian giants as a precautionary measure because of an abdominal issue.
The selector characterized it as a "minor" injury and mentioned that he's scheduled to appear in the state-level matches, so will be "well-prepared to be ready to bowl."
"We put so much time has gone into building out the plan for him to take part for the initial game as an dual-role player," the selector detailed.
"His involvement was limited to the first two ODIs in any case. How he handles the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, if it causes any delay for a short period, we opted to approach this more conservatively."
Match Calendar
The Ashes: Australia v England
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
