The Australian skipper has claimed 309 wickets in 71 five-day games with an stellar bowling average.
The Australian chair of selectors George Bailey has confirmed that skipper Cummins will play a "major part" in the upcoming Ashes series.
There were concerns that the veteran bowler might sit out due to a ongoing back issue that had not yet healed.
Earlier indications from the Australian camp suggested no definitive call had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the extended contest set to start on 21 November in Perth.
Bailey expressed that the captain is progressing and was "optimistic" about the likelihood of taking part.
"It's clear that time is getting short and various factors involved, not only the back issue, but additional elements," he commented.
"It's positive. We firmly believe that he will feature a major part. Hopefully starting in Perth. Should that not happen, then we'll pick it up."
Past Concerns
He was sidelined 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 back injuries, with recurrences in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 forcing him out of several home seasons in a limited period.
He emphasized he would be bold in recovery efforts in his rehabilitation process to make the squad for the series.
Bailey noted that it was unclear if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his rehabilitation but conceded it was "pressing" for him to recover fully for the first Test.
Contingency Plans
Should Cummins not be fit, veteran batsman Smith will assume leadership.
The talented all-rounder was recently pulled out from Australia's squad for their ODI contests against the subcontinent side as a preventive step because of soreness in his side.
He labeled it as a "slight concern and confirmed that he's scheduled to appear in the state-level matches, so will be "ideally positioned to resume bowling."
"Considerable effort has gone into creating the schedule for him to participate for the initial game as an all-rounder," Bailey explained.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the starting games anyway. How he handles the willow in shorter formats, should it hinder progress for a short period, we opted to adopt a safer strategy."
Series Schedule
Australia vs England: The Ashes
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
