The Australian skipper has taken 309 wickets in 71 Test matches with an impressive average.
Australia's selection chief George Bailey has confirmed that skipper Cummins will play a "major part" in the forthcoming England-Australia contest.
Rumors had circulated that the 32-year-old might sit out due to a stress fracture in his back that remained unresolved.
Previous updates from the squad suggested no final decision had been made regarding whether he would play, with the five-Test series set to start on the 21st of November in the WACA.
Bailey expressed that his recovery is on track and felt positive about his chances of being involved.
"We're aware that the clock is ticking and there are permutations around that, aside from the physical problem, but further aspects," Bailey remarked.
"We're encouraged. There's strong faith that he's going to play a key capacity. Hopefully starting in Perth. Should that not happen, then we'll pick it up."
Injury History
The captain missed the ODI and T20 games against India and New Zealand recently after examinations confirmed a lumbar bone stress.
There is a track record of spinal problems, with setbacks in multiple past seasons causing him to miss multiple domestic campaigns in a short span.
Cummins stated he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his comeback strategy to make the squad for the series.
Bailey noted that it was unclear if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his recovery but conceded it was "becoming urgent" for him to be fit for the first Test.
Alternative Arrangements
If he's unavailable, ex-skipper Smith will assume leadership.
The talented all-rounder was withdrawn recently from Australia's squad for their ODI contests against India as a safety move because of soreness in his side.
He labeled it as a "small issue and confirmed that he'll feature in the state-level matches, so will be "well-prepared to be ready to bowl."
"Considerable effort has gone into creating the schedule for him to participate for the opening match as an batting and bowling option," Bailey explained.
"He was only going to play the first two ODIs regardless. The way he swings the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, even if it just sets him back for a short period, we just made the decision to take a cautious route."
Fixture Details
Australia vs England: The Ashes
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
