The pace bowler has secured over 300 dismissals in 71 appearances with an average of 22.10.
Australia's selection chief George Bailey has stated that captain Pat Cummins will be a central figure in the upcoming Ashes series.
There were concerns that the veteran bowler might be unavailable due to a stress fracture in his back that remained unresolved.
Previous updates from the squad suggested no final decision had been made regarding his involvement, with the extended contest set to start on 21 November in Western Australia.
The selector shared that the captain is progressing and felt positive about his chances of participating.
"It's clear that time is getting short and various factors at play, not only the back issue, but further aspects," the selector added.
"The outlook is good. There's strong faith that he's going to play a major part. Hopefully from the opening match. Otherwise, we'll reassess."
Previous Setbacks
Cummins was ruled out Australia's limited-overs series against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals last month after examinations confirmed a stress reaction in his back.
Previous incidents include of back injuries, with recurrences in multiple past seasons causing him to miss three Australian summers in a short span.
He emphasized he would be bold in recovery efforts in his comeback strategy to ensure his availability for the series.
He mentioned that there was no confirmation if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his comeback but admitted it was "becoming urgent" for him to be fit for the initial match.
Backup Options
In case of absence, ex-skipper Smith will take over the captaincy.
The talented all-rounder was excluded lately from the national team for their limited-overs matches against the subcontinent side as a precautionary measure because of soreness in his side.
He labeled it as a "small issue and mentioned that he'll feature in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "well-prepared to resume bowling."
"We put so much time has gone into building out the plan for him to be available for the initial game as an dual-role player," Bailey explained.
"He was only going to play the first two ODIs regardless. His aggressive style the willow in shorter formats, should it hinder progress for a short period, we opted to approach this more conservatively."
Fixture Details
The Historic Rivalry
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
