The pace bowler has claimed 309 wickets in 71 Test matches with an impressive average.
The Australian selection chief George Bailey has confirmed that captain Pat Cummins will play a "major part" in the upcoming Ashes series.
Speculation had been growing that the veteran bowler might be unavailable due to a stress fracture in his back that had not yet healed.
Initial reports from the Australian camp suggested no official announcement had been made regarding his involvement, with the extended contest kicking off on November 21 in Perth.
He revealed that his recovery is on track and remained hopeful about his chances of taking part.
"We're aware that the clock is ticking and multiple considerations involved, aside from the physical problem, but additional elements," he commented.
"We're encouraged. [We are] really confident that he'll participate in a major part. Ideally from the opening match. If not, then we'll pick it up."
Past Concerns
He was sidelined the ODI and T20 games against India and New Zealand recently after scans revealed a stress reaction in his back.
He has a history of back injuries, with setbacks in multiple past seasons causing him to miss several home seasons in four years.
He emphasized he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his comeback strategy to secure his spot for the Ashes.
The selector indicated that he did not know if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his rehabilitation but admitted it was "pressing" for him to be fit for the initial match.
Backup Options
If he's unavailable, veteran batsman Smith will lead the side.
The talented all-rounder was withdrawn recently from the ODI lineup for their limited-overs matches against the Asian giants as a precautionary measure because of soreness in his side.
The selector characterized it as a "small issue and stated that he'll feature in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "in a good place to deliver overs."
"We put so much time has gone into building out the plan for him to participate for the initial game as an all-rounder," the selector detailed.
"His involvement was limited to the first two ODIs regardless. How he handles the bat in limited-overs, if it causes any delay for a short period, we opted to take a cautious route."
Series Schedule
The Historic Rivalry
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
