The Australian skipper has secured 309 wickets in 71 appearances with an average of 22.10.
Australia's selection chief George Bailey has confirmed that captain Pat Cummins will play a "major part" in this winter's historic rivalry.
Speculation had been growing that the 32-year-old might miss the series due to a ongoing back issue that remained unresolved.
Previous updates from the Australian camp suggested no official announcement had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the Test matches set to start on the 21st of November in the WACA.
The selector shared that his recovery is on track and was "optimistic" about his chances of taking part.
"It's clear that the window is narrowing and there are permutations around that, not just the back issue, but further aspects," Bailey remarked.
"It's positive. There's strong faith that he's going to play a significant role. Ideally it's the first Test. Otherwise, we'll adjust."
Previous Setbacks
The captain missed the ODI and T20 games against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals last month after scans revealed a lumbar bone stress.
There is a track record of spinal problems, with flare-ups in multiple past seasons leading to absences from three Australian summers in four years.
He emphasized he would be bold in recovery efforts in his comeback strategy to ensure his availability for the series.
The selector indicated that he did not know if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his comeback but conceded it was "becoming urgent" for him to regain fitness for the first Test.
Contingency Plans
In case of absence, veteran batsman Smith will lead the side.
The talented all-rounder was recently pulled out from Australia's squad for their limited-overs matches against India as a precautionary measure because of soreness in his side.
Bailey described it as a "minor" injury and confirmed that Green will play in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "well-prepared to deliver overs."
"Extensive planning has gone into building out the plan for him to participate for the opening match as an batting and bowling option," the selector detailed.
"He was only going to play the starting games in any case. The way he swings the willow in shorter formats, even if it just sets him back for 24 more hours, we just made the decision to adopt a safer strategy."
Fixture Details
Australia vs England: The Ashes
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
