The Australian skipper has taken over 300 dismissals in 71 Test matches with an impressive average.
Australia's selection chief George Bailey has confirmed that captain Pat Cummins will have a crucial role in the upcoming Ashes series.
There were concerns that Cummins might sit out due to a stress fracture in his back that had not yet healed.
Initial reports from the squad suggested no final decision had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the Test matches set to start on November 21 in Perth.
Bailey expressed that his recovery is on track and remained hopeful about the likelihood of participating.
"We're aware that time is getting short and there are permutations at play, aside from the physical problem, but other factors as well," the selector added.
"We're encouraged. There's strong faith that he's going to play a major part. Ideally from the opening match. Should that not happen, we'll reassess."
Injury History
Cummins was ruled out Australia's limited-overs series against India and New Zealand in the previous weeks after scans revealed a stress reaction in his back.
Previous incidents include of back injuries, with setbacks in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 forcing him out of several home seasons in a limited period.
Cummins stated he would be proactive in his approach in his comeback strategy to secure his spot for the series.
He mentioned that it was unclear if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his rehabilitation but acknowledged it was "getting tight" for him to regain fitness for the opener.
Alternative Arrangements
Should Cummins not be fit, ex-skipper Smith will take over the captaincy.
All-rounder Cameron Green was recently pulled out from the national team for their one-day international series against India as a preventive step because of discomfort in his torso.
The selector characterized it as a "slight concern and stated that he's scheduled to appear in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "in a good place to deliver overs."
"Considerable effort has gone into building out the plan for him to be available for the initial game as an all-rounder," Bailey explained.
"He was only going to play the initial matches regardless. The way he swings the willow in shorter formats, should it hinder progress for 24 more hours, we opted to adopt a safer strategy."
Fixture Details
The Historic Rivalry
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