The pace bowler has secured over 300 dismissals in 71 appearances with an average of 22.10.
Australia's selection chief George Bailey has declared that captain Pat Cummins will play a "major part" in this winter's historic rivalry.
There were concerns that the veteran bowler might be unavailable due to a ongoing back issue that remained unresolved.
Initial reports from the squad suggested no official announcement had been made regarding his involvement, with the Test matches set to start on 21 November in Perth.
The selector shared that the captain is progressing and was "optimistic" about the prospects of participating.
"We're aware that time is getting short and there are permutations involved, aside from the back issue, but other factors as well," the selector added.
"We're encouraged. There's strong faith that he'll participate in a major part. With luck starting in Perth. Otherwise, we'll reassess."
Injury History
He was sidelined the white-ball matches against India and New Zealand recently after examinations confirmed a lower back issue.
He has a history of recurring issues, with setbacks in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 forcing him out of several home seasons in a short span.
The bowler mentioned he would be bold in recovery efforts in his recovery plan to ensure his availability for the Ashes.
Bailey noted that there was no confirmation if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his recovery but acknowledged it was "getting tight" for him to recover fully for the initial match.
Backup Options
If he's unavailable, former captain Steve Smith will take over the captaincy.
The talented all-rounder was excluded lately from Australia's squad for their one-day international series against the subcontinent side as a preventive step because of an abdominal issue.
The selector characterized it as a "small issue and confirmed that he's scheduled to appear in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "well-prepared to resume bowling."
"Considerable effort has gone into creating the schedule for him to be available for the initial game as an dual-role player," the selector detailed.
"His involvement was limited to the starting games in any case. His aggressive style the bat in limited-overs, even if it just sets him back for 24 more hours, we just made the decision to take a cautious route."
Fixture Details
The Ashes: Australia v England
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
