The pace bowler has secured over 300 dismissals in 71 Test matches with an stellar bowling average.
Australia's chief selector George Bailey has confirmed that pace spearhead Cummins will play a "major part" in the upcoming historic rivalry.
Speculation had been growing that Cummins might miss the series due to a persistent back stress problem that had not yet healed.
Previous updates from the squad suggested no official announcement had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the five-Test series kicking off on 21 November in Perth.
Bailey expressed that the captain is progressing and felt positive about his chances of being involved.
"It's clear that time is getting short and there are permutations at play, not just his injury, but other factors as well," he commented.
"We're encouraged. There's strong faith that he will feature a key capacity. Ideally it's the first Test. If not, we'll reassess."
Past Concerns
He was sidelined the white-ball matches against New Zealand and India recently after scans revealed a stress reaction in his back.
Previous incidents include of back injuries, with recurrences in several earlier campaigns forcing him out of multiple domestic campaigns in four years.
The bowler mentioned he would be proactive in his approach in his comeback strategy to make the squad for the series.
He mentioned that he did not know if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his recovery but conceded it was "pressing" for him to be fit for the opener.
Contingency Plans
Should Cummins not be fit, veteran batsman Smith will assume leadership.
All-rounder Cameron Green was withdrawn recently from the ODI lineup for their one-day international series against India as a precautionary measure because of soreness in his side.
Bailey described it as a "minor" injury and stated that he's scheduled to appear in the state-level matches, so will be "ideally positioned to deliver overs."
"Extensive planning has gone into creating the schedule for him to participate for the initial game as an all-rounder," he elaborated.
"He was only going to play the first two ODIs in any case. His aggressive style the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, if it causes any delay for another day, we just made the decision to adopt a safer strategy."
Match Calendar
Australia vs England: The Ashes
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
