The Australian skipper has secured 309 wickets in 71 Test matches with an impressive average.
The Australian selection chief George Bailey has declared that pace spearhead Cummins will play a "major part" in the forthcoming Ashes series.
Speculation had been growing that Cummins might sit out due to a ongoing back issue that was still troubling him.
Initial reports from team management suggested no definitive call had been made regarding his involvement, with the five-Test series set to start on 21 November in the WACA.
Bailey expressed that the captain is progressing and was "optimistic" about his chances of being involved.
"It's clear that the window is narrowing and various factors involved, not only the back issue, but additional elements," the selector added.
"It's positive. There's strong faith that he will feature a major part. Hopefully starting in Perth. If not, then we'll pick it up."
Previous Setbacks
He was sidelined Australia's limited-overs series against New Zealand and India last month after examinations confirmed a lumbar bone stress.
Previous incidents include of spinal problems, with setbacks in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 forcing him out of several home seasons in a limited period.
He emphasized he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his recovery plan to ensure his availability for the contest.
He mentioned that it was unclear if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his comeback but acknowledged it was "pressing" for him to regain fitness for the first Test.
Alternative Arrangements
In case of absence, ex-skipper Smith will lead the side.
All-rounder Cameron Green was recently pulled out from the ODI lineup for their one-day international series against the Asian giants as a safety move because of soreness in his side.
The selector characterized it as a "small issue and mentioned that Green will play in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "ideally positioned to be ready to bowl."
"We put so much time has gone into building out the plan for him to be available for the first Test as an dual-role player," Bailey explained.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the first two ODIs regardless. The way he swings the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, if it causes any delay for another day, we opted to adopt a safer strategy."
Series Schedule
The Historic Rivalry
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
