The Australian skipper has taken 309 wickets in 71 Test matches with an stellar bowling average.
The Australian chief selector George Bailey has stated that skipper Cummins will be a central figure in the upcoming England-Australia contest.
Speculation had been growing that the 32-year-old might miss the series due to a ongoing back issue that remained unresolved.
Earlier indications from team management suggested no official announcement had been made regarding his involvement, with the five-Test series scheduled to begin on November 21 in the WACA.
Bailey expressed that the captain is progressing and felt positive about his chances of taking part.
"We're aware that the window is narrowing and there are permutations around that, not only the physical problem, but further aspects," he commented.
"The outlook is good. There's strong faith that he's going to play a significant role. Ideally it's the first Test. Should that not happen, we'll reassess."
Previous Setbacks
Cummins was ruled out the white-ball matches against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals in the previous weeks after examinations confirmed a stress reaction in his back.
There is a track record of recurring issues, with recurrences in several earlier campaigns causing him to miss multiple domestic campaigns in a short span.
He emphasized he would be proactive in his approach in his comeback strategy to ensure his availability for the Ashes.
He mentioned that he did not know if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his comeback but acknowledged it was "pressing" for him to recover fully for the opener.
Backup Options
In case of absence, ex-skipper Smith will take over the captaincy.
The talented all-rounder was recently pulled out from Australia's squad for their one-day international series against the Asian giants as a preventive step because of discomfort in his torso.
The selector characterized it as a "slight concern and mentioned that he'll feature in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "in a good place to resume bowling."
"We put so much time has gone into creating the schedule for him to take part for the first Test as an dual-role player," he elaborated.
"His involvement was limited to the starting games anyway. The way he swings the willow in shorter formats, even if it just sets him back for a short period, the choice was made to take a cautious route."
Fixture Details
Australia vs England: The Ashes
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
