The pace bowler has claimed 309 Test scalps in 71 five-day games with an stellar bowling average.
Australia's chair of selectors George Bailey has confirmed that captain Pat Cummins will have a crucial role in the forthcoming England-Australia contest.
There were concerns that the veteran bowler might be unavailable due to a persistent back stress problem that remained unresolved.
Previous updates from the Australian camp suggested no official announcement had been made regarding whether he would play, with the extended contest scheduled to begin on 21 November in Western Australia.
He revealed that the captain is progressing and felt positive about the prospects of participating.
"We're aware that the clock is ticking and various factors at play, not only the physical problem, but additional elements," Bailey remarked.
"The outlook is good. [We are] really confident that he will feature a significant role. Hopefully starting in Perth. If not, we'll adjust."
Previous Setbacks
He was sidelined the white-ball matches against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals last month after medical tests showed a lumbar bone stress.
There is a track record of back injuries, with flare-ups in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 causing him to miss several home seasons in four years.
The bowler mentioned he would be proactive in his approach in his rehabilitation process to ensure his availability for the Ashes.
Bailey noted that there was no confirmation if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his comeback but acknowledged it was "pressing" for him to regain fitness for the first Test.
Contingency Plans
If he's unavailable, ex-skipper Smith will take over the captaincy.
The talented all-rounder was recently pulled out from Australia's squad for their ODI contests against the subcontinent side as a precautionary measure because of soreness in his side.
Bailey described it as a "minor" injury and mentioned that he'll feature in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "ideally positioned 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.
"His involvement was limited to the first two ODIs in any case. How he handles the bat in limited-overs, even if it just sets him back for another day, we just made the decision to approach this more conservatively."
Match Calendar
Australia vs England: The Ashes
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
