The Australian skipper has taken over 300 dismissals in 71 five-day games with an impressive average.
The Australian chair of selectors George Bailey has confirmed that captain Pat Cummins will play a "major part" in this winter's England-Australia contest.
There were concerns that the 32-year-old might be unavailable due to a stress fracture in his back that had not yet healed.
Initial reports from the Australian camp suggested no official announcement had been made regarding his involvement, with the extended contest scheduled to begin on 21 November in the WACA.
He revealed that the captain is progressing and felt positive about his chances of participating.
"We're aware that the clock is ticking and there are permutations involved, not only his injury, but further aspects," Bailey remarked.
"It's positive. We firmly believe that he'll participate in a major part. Ideally it's the first Test. Should that not happen, we'll reassess."
Injury History
He was sidelined the ODI and T20 games against India and New Zealand last month after examinations confirmed a lumbar bone stress.
He has a history of recurring issues, with recurrences in multiple past seasons forcing him out of several home seasons in a short span.
The bowler mentioned he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his comeback strategy to ensure his availability for the series.
Bailey noted that there was no confirmation if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his recovery but admitted it was "becoming urgent" for him to regain fitness for the first Test.
Alternative Arrangements
If he's unavailable, ex-skipper Smith will assume leadership.
Versatile player Green was excluded lately from Australia's squad for their ODI contests against the Asian giants as a safety move because of soreness in his side.
Bailey described 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 be ready to bowl."
"We put so much time has gone into developing the strategy for him to take part for the first Test as an dual-role player," he elaborated.
"He was only going to play the initial matches regardless. His aggressive style the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, should it hinder progress for another day, the choice was made to take a cautious route."
Match Calendar
Australia vs England: The Ashes
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
