The Australian skipper has secured over 300 dismissals in 71 Test matches with an impressive average.
Australia's selection chief George Bailey has stated that captain Pat Cummins will play a "major part" in the forthcoming historic rivalry.
Speculation had been growing that the 32-year-old might sit out due to a stress fracture in his back that had not yet healed.
Initial reports from the Australian camp suggested no final decision had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the Test matches set to start on 21 November in the WACA.
Bailey expressed that his recovery is on track and remained hopeful about the prospects of taking part.
"It's clear that time is getting short and various factors around that, not only the back issue, but additional elements," the selector added.
"We're encouraged. We firmly believe that he's going to play a significant role. Hopefully it's the first Test. If not, we'll adjust."
Previous Setbacks
Cummins was ruled out the white-ball matches against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals last month after examinations confirmed a lower back issue.
He has a history of back injuries, with recurrences in multiple past seasons leading to absences from three Australian summers in four years.
The bowler mentioned he would be proactive in his approach in his recovery plan to make the squad for the Ashes.
He mentioned that he did not know if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his recovery but acknowledged it was "pressing" for him to be fit for the opener.
Alternative Arrangements
Should Cummins not be fit, ex-skipper Smith will assume leadership.
All-rounder Cameron Green was recently pulled out from Australia's squad for their ODI contests against the Asian giants as a safety move because of discomfort in his torso.
He labeled it as a "minor" injury and stated that he's scheduled to appear in the state-level matches, so will be "ideally positioned to resume bowling."
"Considerable effort has gone into creating the schedule for him to participate for the first Test as an all-rounder," Bailey explained.
"His involvement was limited to the initial matches in any case. The way he swings the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, should it hinder progress for 24 more hours, we opted to adopt a safer strategy."
Match Calendar
The Historic Rivalry
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
