The Australian skipper has secured 309 wickets in 71 Test matches with an average of 22.10.
The Australian chair of selectors George Bailey has declared that captain Pat Cummins will have a crucial role in this winter's England-Australia contest.
There were concerns that the veteran bowler might sit out due to a persistent back stress problem that was still troubling him.
Initial reports from team management suggested no final decision had been made regarding whether he would play, with the Test matches set to start on November 21 in the WACA.
He revealed that his recovery is on track and felt positive about the likelihood of participating.
"We know that time is getting short and there are permutations around that, not only his injury, but additional elements," Bailey remarked.
"We're encouraged. [We are] really confident that he'll participate in a key capacity. Hopefully it's the first Test. If not, we'll reassess."
Previous Setbacks
He was sidelined the ODI and T20 games against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals last month after medical tests showed a lumbar bone stress.
There is a track record of back injuries, with flare-ups in multiple past seasons causing him to miss multiple domestic campaigns in four years.
He emphasized he would be proactive in his approach in his comeback strategy to ensure his availability for the contest.
Bailey noted that it was unclear if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his recovery but conceded it was "getting tight" for him to regain fitness for the opener.
Alternative Arrangements
In case of absence, veteran batsman Smith will lead the side.
The talented all-rounder was withdrawn recently from the national team for their one-day international series against the Asian giants as a safety move because of an abdominal issue.
Bailey described it as a "minor" injury and stated 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 developing the strategy for him to be available for the opening match as an all-rounder," he elaborated.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the starting games in any case. The way he swings the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, should it hinder progress for another day, we just made the decision to approach this more conservatively."
Series Schedule
The Historic Rivalry
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