Steve Smith to lead Australia in Ashes if Pat Cummins fails to recover

Steve Smith to lead Australia in Ashes if Pat Cummins fails to recover (AP Photo)

Steve Smith will lead Australia in this year's Ashes if regular Test skipper Pat Cummins fails to recover from his back injury, confirmed selection chair George Bailey.

The injury has ruled Cummins out of the white-ball series against India beginning with the first ODI in Perth on Sunday.

He is also unlikely to feature in the first Ashes Test, starting November 21 in Perth, and in that scenario former skipper Smith will captain Australia.

"If Pat doesn't play, Smudge (Smith) will captain. That's business as usual for us. That formula has worked," Bailey was quoted as saying by 'Sydney Morning Herald'.

"Regardless of whether he's playing, Pat's keen to be around because if he's not playing he'll be rehabbing and getting ready and bowling, so he'll be with the team anyway.

"So that information flow and working together as captain and vice-captain will remain the same," he added.

Smith had returned to Australia from New York this week and had started batting at the nets at Cricket New South Wales headquarters the day after his arrival.

Smith will play the next two rounds of Sheffield Shield for NSW in Brisbane and Sydney.

"Steve landed and he was at Cricket NSW the next day batting. So he'll do his thing. We've tried to tailor everyone's prep to suit them and certain obligations around that, but very comfortably he'll be ready to go," Bailey said.