Pat Cummins has claimed 309 Test scalps in 71 Test matches with an average of 22.10.
The Australian chair of selectors George Bailey has declared that skipper Cummins will play a "major part" in this winter's Ashes series.
There were concerns that the 32-year-old might be unavailable due to a stress fracture in his back that remained unresolved.
Earlier indications from team management suggested no final decision had been made regarding whether he would play, with the five-Test series set to start on November 21 in the WACA.
He revealed that his recovery is on track and remained hopeful about the likelihood of being involved.
"It's clear that the clock is ticking and there are permutations around that, not only the back issue, but additional elements," the selector added.
"The outlook is good. There's strong faith that he will feature a key capacity. With luck starting in Perth. Should that not happen, we'll adjust."
Past Concerns
Cummins was ruled out the ODI and T20 games against India and New Zealand last month after medical tests showed a stress reaction in his back.
He has a history of back injuries, with setbacks in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 forcing him out of multiple domestic campaigns in a short span.
He emphasized he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his rehabilitation process to make the squad for the contest.
Bailey noted that he did not know if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his recovery but acknowledged it was "getting tight" for him to regain fitness for the first Test.
Contingency Plans
Should Cummins not be fit, ex-skipper Smith will assume leadership.
All-rounder Cameron Green was excluded lately from the ODI lineup for their one-day international series against the subcontinent side as a safety move because of an abdominal issue.
The selector characterized it as a "small issue and mentioned that he's scheduled to appear in the state-level matches, so will be "well-prepared to resume bowling."
"Considerable effort has gone into creating the schedule for him to take part for the initial game as an all-rounder," he elaborated.
"His involvement was limited to the first two ODIs in any case. How he handles the willow in shorter formats, if it causes any delay for another day, the choice was made to approach this more conservatively."
Fixture Details
Australia vs England: The Ashes
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
