The Australian skipper has secured 309 wickets in 71 appearances with an average of 22.10.
Australia's selection chief the selector has stated that captain Pat Cummins will be a central figure in the forthcoming Ashes series.
There were concerns that the 32-year-old might miss the series due to a ongoing back issue that was still troubling him.
Previous updates from the Australian camp suggested no definitive call had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the Test matches scheduled to begin on 21 November in Perth.
The selector shared that Cummins is "building up" and felt positive about his chances of participating.
"We're aware that the clock is ticking and there are permutations at play, not just the back issue, but other factors as well," he commented.
"We're encouraged. [We are] really confident that he'll participate in a significant role. Ideally it's the first Test. Otherwise, we'll reassess."
Previous Setbacks
The captain missed Australia's limited-overs series against New Zealand and India recently after medical tests showed a lumbar bone stress.
He has a history of recurring issues, with setbacks in several earlier campaigns leading to absences from several home seasons in a short span.
He emphasized he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his comeback strategy to secure his spot for the Ashes.
The selector indicated that there was no confirmation if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his rehabilitation but acknowledged it was "pressing" for him to be fit for the opener.
Backup Options
In case of absence, veteran batsman Smith will lead the side.
The talented all-rounder was withdrawn recently from the national team for their limited-overs matches against the Asian giants as a precautionary measure because of discomfort in his torso.
The selector characterized it as a "minor" injury and confirmed that he'll feature in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "ideally positioned to be ready to bowl."
"Extensive planning has gone into developing the strategy for him to participate for the initial game as an batting and bowling option," he elaborated.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the first two ODIs in any case. His aggressive style the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, should it hinder progress for 24 more hours, we opted to take a cautious route."
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The Historic Rivalry
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