The Australian skipper has secured over 300 dismissals in 71 five-day games with an average of 22.10.
Australia's chair of selectors George Bailey has confirmed that captain Pat Cummins will be a central figure in this winter's historic rivalry.
Speculation had been growing that the veteran bowler might miss the series due to a persistent back stress problem that had not yet healed.
Initial reports from the squad suggested no official announcement had been made regarding whether he would play, with the Test matches scheduled to begin on November 21 in Perth.
Bailey expressed that his recovery is on track and remained hopeful about the prospects of being involved.
"We're aware that time is getting short and various factors involved, aside from his injury, but further aspects," Bailey remarked.
"The outlook is good. [We are] really confident that he'll participate in a significant role. Hopefully from the opening match. Should that not happen, we'll adjust."
Past Concerns
He was sidelined the ODI and T20 games against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals last month after medical tests showed a stress reaction in his back.
There is a track record of recurring issues, with setbacks in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 forcing him out of three Australian summers in four years.
He emphasized he would be proactive in his approach in his recovery plan to ensure his availability for the contest.
He mentioned that it was unclear if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his comeback but conceded it was "pressing" for him to regain fitness for the first Test.
Contingency Plans
In case of absence, veteran batsman Smith will lead the side.
All-rounder Cameron Green was excluded lately from the ODI lineup for their one-day international series against India as a precautionary measure because of soreness in his side.
Bailey described it as a "small issue and confirmed that he'll feature in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "ideally positioned to deliver overs."
"Considerable effort has gone into developing the strategy for him to take part for the opening match as an all-rounder," the selector detailed.
"He was only going to play the starting games regardless. The way he swings the willow in shorter formats, should it hinder progress for 24 more hours, we opted to approach this more conservatively."
Series Schedule
The Ashes: Australia v England
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
