Pat Cummins has secured 309 wickets in 71 Test matches with an stellar bowling average.
The Australian selection chief George Bailey has stated that skipper Cummins will play a "major part" in the upcoming historic rivalry.
Rumors had circulated that the 32-year-old might sit out due to a persistent back stress problem that was still troubling him.
Earlier indications from team management suggested no official announcement had been made regarding whether he would play, with the five-Test series kicking off on the 21st of November in Western Australia.
The selector shared that Cummins is "building up" and was "optimistic" about the likelihood of taking part.
"We're aware that time is getting short and multiple considerations at play, not only his injury, but further aspects," he commented.
"It's positive. We firmly believe that he's going to play a significant role. With luck from the opening match. Otherwise, we'll adjust."
Past Concerns
The captain missed Australia's limited-overs series against New Zealand and India in the previous weeks after examinations confirmed a lumbar bone stress.
There is a track record of spinal problems, with setbacks in several earlier campaigns forcing him out of multiple domestic campaigns in a short span.
He emphasized he would be bold in recovery efforts in his recovery plan to make the squad for the Ashes.
Bailey noted that there was no confirmation if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his recovery but admitted it was "becoming urgent" for him to regain fitness for the initial match.
Alternative Arrangements
Should Cummins not be fit, ex-skipper Smith will take over the captaincy.
Versatile player Green was recently pulled out from the ODI lineup for their one-day international series against the subcontinent side as a safety move because of soreness in his side.
The selector characterized it as a "slight concern and confirmed that he'll feature in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "in a good place to resume bowling."
"We put so much time has gone into developing the strategy for him to take part for the initial game as an dual-role player," Bailey explained.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the starting games anyway. The way he swings the bat in limited-overs, even if it just sets him back for a short period, we just made the decision to approach this more conservatively."
Match Calendar
The Historic Rivalry
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
