The pace bowler has claimed 309 wickets in 71 five-day games with an impressive average.
Australia's selection chief George Bailey has confirmed that skipper Cummins will be a central figure in the forthcoming England-Australia contest.
Rumors had circulated that Cummins might sit out due to a ongoing back issue that was still troubling him.
Initial reports from the Australian camp suggested no definitive call had been made regarding his involvement, with the Test matches set to start on November 21 in Western Australia.
The selector shared that Cummins is "building up" and was "optimistic" about his chances of being involved.
"We're aware that the window is narrowing and there are permutations involved, not only the back issue, but other factors as well," Bailey remarked.
"It's positive. We firmly believe that he will feature a major part. Ideally starting in Perth. If not, we'll adjust."
Previous Setbacks
He was sidelined Australia's limited-overs series against New Zealand and India in the previous weeks after examinations confirmed a stress reaction in his back.
There is a track record of spinal problems, with flare-ups in several earlier campaigns forcing him out of multiple domestic campaigns in a limited period.
He emphasized he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his recovery plan to make the squad for the series.
Bailey noted that there was no confirmation if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his rehabilitation but admitted it was "getting tight" for him to recover fully for the opener.
Contingency Plans
If he's unavailable, former captain Steve Smith will lead the side.
All-rounder Cameron Green was excluded lately from the national team for their limited-overs matches against the subcontinent side as a preventive step because of discomfort in his torso.
Bailey described it as a "minor" injury and stated that he'll feature in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "in a good place to resume bowling."
"Extensive planning has gone into building out the plan for him to take part for the initial game as an dual-role player," Bailey explained.
"He was only going to play the initial matches anyway. His aggressive style the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, should it hinder progress for a short period, we just made the decision to approach this more conservatively."
Match Calendar
The Ashes: Australia v England
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
