The pace bowler has secured over 300 dismissals in 71 appearances with an average of 22.10.
The Australian selection chief George Bailey has stated that captain Pat Cummins will have a crucial role in the forthcoming historic rivalry.
Rumors had circulated that Cummins might sit out due to a stress fracture in his back that remained unresolved.
Previous updates from team management suggested no official announcement had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the five-Test series set to start on the 21st of November in the WACA.
Bailey expressed that his recovery is on track and remained hopeful about the prospects of participating.
"We're aware that the window is narrowing and various factors around that, aside from the physical problem, but additional elements," the selector added.
"The outlook is good. [We are] really confident that he'll participate in a significant role. With luck it's the first Test. Otherwise, we'll adjust."
Previous Setbacks
He was sidelined Australia's limited-overs series against New Zealand and India last month after scans revealed a lower back issue.
Previous incidents include of spinal problems, with flare-ups in multiple past seasons forcing him out of multiple domestic campaigns in a short span.
He emphasized he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his comeback strategy to ensure his availability for the Ashes.
Bailey noted that he did not know if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his rehabilitation but conceded it was "pressing" for him to recover fully for the opener.
Backup Options
If he's unavailable, former captain Steve Smith will assume leadership.
All-rounder Cameron Green was excluded lately from the ODI lineup for their ODI contests against India as a preventive step because of an abdominal issue.
Bailey described it as a "slight concern and mentioned that he'll feature in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "ideally positioned to deliver overs."
"Extensive planning has gone into developing the strategy for him to be available for the first Test as an all-rounder," Bailey explained.
"His involvement was limited to 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 just made the decision to approach this more conservatively."
Series Schedule
The Ashes: Australia v England
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
