The Australian skipper has secured over 300 dismissals in 71 appearances with an impressive average.
The Australian selection chief George Bailey has stated that skipper Cummins will have a crucial role in the forthcoming historic rivalry.
Rumors had circulated that the veteran bowler might miss the series due to a stress fracture in his back that was still troubling him.
Earlier indications from team management suggested no definitive call had been made regarding whether he would play, with the Test matches set to start on the 21st of November in Perth.
He revealed that Cummins is "building up" and felt positive about his chances of being involved.
"It's clear that time is getting short and there are permutations involved, not just the physical problem, but further aspects," Bailey remarked.
"The outlook is good. We firmly believe that he's going to play a key capacity. With luck from the opening match. If not, we'll adjust."
Injury History
Cummins was ruled out Australia's limited-overs series against New Zealand and India recently after scans revealed a lumbar bone stress.
Previous incidents include of back injuries, with setbacks in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 causing him to miss several home seasons in a short span.
The bowler mentioned he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his recovery plan to ensure his availability for the series.
The selector indicated that it was unclear if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his comeback but acknowledged it was "becoming urgent" for him to recover fully for the initial match.
Contingency Plans
If he's unavailable, veteran batsman Smith will lead the side.
All-rounder Cameron Green was withdrawn recently from Australia's squad for their limited-overs matches against India as a preventive step because of soreness in his side.
Bailey described it as a "slight concern and confirmed that he's scheduled to appear in the state-level matches, so will be "well-prepared to resume bowling."
"Extensive planning has gone into developing the strategy for him to take part for the initial game as an batting and bowling option," the selector detailed.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the starting games in any case. How he handles the willow in shorter formats, even if it just sets him back for 24 more hours, the choice was made to adopt a safer strategy."
Match Calendar
Australia vs England: The Ashes
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
