The Australian skipper has secured 309 wickets in 71 appearances with an stellar bowling average.
Australia's chief selector George Bailey has declared that pace spearhead Cummins will have a crucial role in this winter's historic rivalry.
There were concerns that the 32-year-old might miss the series due to a persistent back stress problem that had not yet healed.
Earlier indications from the squad suggested no definitive call 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 was "optimistic" about the prospects of being involved.
"We know that the window is narrowing and various factors involved, aside from the back issue, but additional elements," Bailey remarked.
"It's positive. We firmly believe that he will feature a major part. With luck from the opening match. Otherwise, we'll adjust."
Injury History
He was sidelined Australia's limited-overs series against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals recently after scans revealed a lumbar bone stress.
There is a track record of back injuries, with flare-ups in several earlier campaigns causing him to miss three Australian summers in a limited period.
He emphasized he would be proactive in his approach in his comeback strategy to make the squad for the contest.
He mentioned that he did not know if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his rehabilitation but conceded it was "becoming urgent" for him to recover fully for the first Test.
Contingency Plans
If he's unavailable, ex-skipper Smith will lead the side.
The talented all-rounder was recently pulled out from the national team for their limited-overs matches against India as a precautionary measure because of soreness in his side.
He labeled it as a "slight concern and stated that he'll feature in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "ideally positioned to be ready to bowl."
"Considerable effort has gone into developing the strategy for him to take part for the first Test as an dual-role player," the selector detailed.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the starting games regardless. The way he swings the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, if it causes any delay for another day, we opted to take a cautious route."
Fixture Details
The Ashes: Australia v England
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
