The Australian skipper has secured 309 wickets in 71 Test matches with an stellar bowling average.
The Australian chief selector George Bailey has stated that captain Pat Cummins will be a central figure in this winter's Ashes series.
Speculation had been growing that the veteran bowler might miss the series due to a stress fracture in his back that had not yet healed.
Earlier indications from the squad suggested no official announcement had been made regarding whether he would play, with the Test matches scheduled to begin on 21 November in Western Australia.
Bailey expressed that Cummins is "building up" and was "optimistic" about the likelihood of participating.
"It's clear that the window is narrowing and multiple considerations involved, not only the back issue, but further aspects," the selector added.
"The outlook is good. [We are] really confident that he's going to play a major part. With luck starting in Perth. Otherwise, we'll reassess."
Injury History
Cummins was ruled out the white-ball matches against India and New Zealand recently after medical tests showed a stress reaction in his back.
Previous incidents include of back injuries, with flare-ups in several earlier campaigns causing him to miss multiple domestic campaigns in a short span.
Cummins stated he would be bold in recovery efforts in his comeback strategy to ensure his availability for the series.
The selector indicated that there was no confirmation if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his rehabilitation but acknowledged it was "getting tight" for him to recover fully for the first Test.
Backup Options
If he's unavailable, veteran batsman Smith will take over the captaincy.
All-rounder Cameron Green was recently pulled out from the ODI lineup for their ODI contests against the subcontinent side as a precautionary measure because of soreness in his side.
Bailey described it as a "slight concern and stated that he's scheduled to appear in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "well-prepared to deliver overs."
"Considerable effort has gone into developing the strategy for him to take part for the first Test as an batting and bowling option," the selector detailed.
"He was only going to play the starting games anyway. How he handles the willow in shorter formats, if it causes any delay for another day, we just made the decision to approach this more conservatively."
Fixture Details
The Historic Rivalry
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