The Australian skipper has secured 309 Test scalps in 71 appearances with an average of 22.10.
Australia's chief selector George Bailey has declared that captain Pat Cummins will have a crucial role in the upcoming historic rivalry.
Speculation had been growing that the 32-year-old might miss the series due to a persistent back stress problem that was still troubling him.
Initial reports from the squad suggested no final decision had been made regarding whether he would play, with the Test matches kicking off on 21 November in the WACA.
The selector shared that Cummins is "building up" and remained hopeful about the prospects of being involved.
"We know that time is getting short and various factors involved, not just the physical problem, but additional elements," the selector added.
"The outlook is good. [We are] really confident that he's going to play a key capacity. Ideally from the opening match. Should that not happen, then we'll pick it up."
Past Concerns
Cummins was ruled out Australia's limited-overs series against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals last month after scans revealed a stress reaction in his back.
Previous incidents include of back injuries, with setbacks in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 leading to absences from three Australian summers in a short span.
Cummins stated he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his rehabilitation process to secure his spot for the contest.
He mentioned that he did not know if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his rehabilitation but conceded it was "getting tight" for him to recover fully for the initial match.
Alternative Arrangements
In case of absence, ex-skipper Smith will take over the captaincy.
The talented all-rounder was recently pulled out from the ODI lineup for their ODI contests against the subcontinent side as a precautionary measure 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 "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 all-rounder," the selector detailed.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the initial matches anyway. His aggressive style the willow in shorter formats, if it causes any delay for another day, we opted to approach this more conservatively."
Fixture Details
Australia vs England: The Ashes
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
