The Australian skipper has taken 309 wickets in 71 five-day games with an average of 22.10.
The Australian selection chief George Bailey has confirmed that captain Pat Cummins will be a central figure in the forthcoming Ashes series.
Speculation had been growing that the 32-year-old might be unavailable due to a ongoing back issue that had not yet healed.
Initial reports from the Australian camp suggested no definitive call had been made regarding whether he would play, with the five-Test series kicking off on November 21 in Western Australia.
The selector shared that Cummins is "building up" and was "optimistic" about his chances of taking part.
"We're aware that the window is narrowing and there are permutations at play, not just the back issue, but other factors as well," the selector added.
"The outlook is good. [We are] really confident that he will feature a key capacity. Ideally starting in Perth. Should that not happen, then we'll pick it up."
Previous Setbacks
Cummins was ruled out the ODI and T20 games against New Zealand and India last month after examinations confirmed a lower back issue.
He has a history of recurring issues, with recurrences in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 forcing him out of three Australian summers in a short span.
The bowler mentioned he would be proactive in his approach in his rehabilitation process to make the squad for the contest.
The selector indicated that there was no confirmation if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his recovery but acknowledged it was "pressing" for him to be fit for the first Test.
Alternative Arrangements
Should Cummins not be fit, ex-skipper Smith will lead the side.
Versatile player Green was recently pulled out from Australia's squad for their ODI contests against the Asian giants as a precautionary measure because of an abdominal issue.
He labeled 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 creating the schedule for him to be available for the first Test as an batting and bowling option," Bailey explained.
"His involvement was limited to the starting games anyway. The way he swings the bat in limited-overs, if it causes any delay for a short period, we opted to adopt a safer strategy."
Fixture Details
Australia vs England: The Ashes
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
