The Australian skipper has claimed 309 wickets in 71 Test matches with an stellar bowling average.
The Australian selection chief George Bailey has stated that skipper Cummins will be a central figure in the forthcoming England-Australia contest.
Speculation had been growing that the 32-year-old might sit out due to a persistent back stress problem that had not yet healed.
Previous updates from the squad suggested no definitive call had been made regarding his involvement, with the Test matches set to start on 21 November in Western Australia.
Bailey expressed that his recovery is on track and felt positive about the likelihood of participating.
"It's clear that time is getting short and there are permutations around that, not just his injury, but further aspects," he commented.
"The outlook is good. We firmly believe that he'll participate in a significant role. Ideally from the opening match. Should that not happen, we'll reassess."
Past Concerns
The captain missed Australia's limited-overs series against India and New Zealand recently after examinations confirmed a lower back issue.
He has a history of back injuries, with flare-ups in several earlier campaigns leading to absences from multiple domestic campaigns in four years.
He emphasized he would be proactive in his approach in his rehabilitation process to ensure his availability for the series.
The selector indicated that there was no confirmation if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his comeback but conceded it was "pressing" for him to regain fitness for the initial match.
Contingency Plans
Should Cummins not be fit, former captain Steve Smith will take over the captaincy.
All-rounder Cameron Green was withdrawn recently from Australia's squad for their one-day international series against India as a safety move because of soreness in his side.
He labeled it as a "slight concern and stated that he's scheduled to appear in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "ideally positioned to deliver overs."
"We put so much time has gone into creating the schedule for him to be available for the opening match as an dual-role player," he elaborated.
"He was only going to play the initial matches regardless. His aggressive style the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, should it hinder progress for 24 more hours, we opted to approach this more conservatively."
Match Calendar
The Ashes: Australia v England
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
