The pace bowler has taken 309 Test scalps in 71 Test matches with an stellar bowling average.
Australia's selection chief George Bailey has confirmed that captain Pat Cummins will play a "major part" in the upcoming historic rivalry.
There were concerns that Cummins might be unavailable due to a ongoing back issue that was still troubling him.
Previous updates from the squad suggested no official announcement had been made regarding whether he would play, with the five-Test series set to start on November 21 in Western Australia.
He revealed that Cummins is "building up" and felt positive about the likelihood of participating.
"We know that the window is narrowing and multiple considerations around that, not just his injury, but further aspects," the selector added.
"It's positive. [We are] really confident that he will feature a major part. With luck it's the first Test. Should that not happen, we'll reassess."
Past Concerns
The captain missed the ODI and T20 games against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals recently after scans revealed a stress reaction in his back.
Previous incidents include of recurring issues, with recurrences in several earlier campaigns causing him to miss several home seasons in a short span.
The bowler mentioned he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his rehabilitation process to secure his spot for the Ashes.
The selector indicated that he did not know if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his comeback but admitted it was "becoming urgent" for him to be fit for the first Test.
Contingency Plans
In case of absence, veteran batsman Smith will assume leadership.
Versatile player Green was excluded lately from Australia's squad for their limited-overs matches against the Asian giants as a preventive step because of an abdominal issue.
The selector characterized it as a "minor" injury and stated that Green will play in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "ideally positioned to resume bowling."
"Considerable effort has gone into building out the plan for him to take part for the opening match as an batting and bowling option," Bailey explained.
"His involvement was limited to the starting games regardless. How he handles the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, even if it just sets him back for 24 more hours, we just made the decision to approach this more conservatively."
Match Calendar
The Historic Rivalry
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
