The pace bowler has taken 309 wickets in 71 five-day games with an average of 22.10.
Australia's selection chief George Bailey has stated that skipper Cummins will have a crucial role in this winter's England-Australia contest.
Speculation had been growing that the veteran bowler might sit out due to a stress fracture in his back that remained unresolved.
Earlier indications from the Australian camp suggested no definitive call had been made regarding whether he would play, with the five-Test series set to start on November 21 in the WACA.
Bailey expressed that the captain is progressing and felt positive about his chances of being involved.
"We're aware that the clock is ticking and multiple considerations involved, aside from the physical problem, but additional elements," Bailey remarked.
"The outlook is good. [We are] really confident that he will feature a major part. Hopefully from the opening match. Otherwise, then we'll pick it up."
Injury History
The captain missed the white-ball matches against New Zealand and India recently after medical tests showed a lower back issue.
Previous incidents include of back injuries, with flare-ups in several earlier campaigns causing him to miss three Australian summers in four years.
He emphasized he would be bold in recovery efforts in his rehabilitation process to secure his spot for the contest.
Bailey noted that he did not know if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his recovery but admitted it was "getting tight" for him to recover fully for the initial match.
Contingency Plans
In case of absence, veteran batsman Smith will assume leadership.
The talented all-rounder was recently pulled out from the ODI lineup for their limited-overs matches against India as a safety move because of soreness in his side.
He labeled it as a "minor" injury and stated that he'll feature in the state-level matches, so will be "ideally positioned to be ready to bowl."
"Considerable effort has gone into creating the schedule for him to take part for the opening match as an dual-role player," he elaborated.
"His involvement was limited to the starting games anyway. His aggressive style the willow in shorter formats, should it hinder progress for a short period, the choice was made to adopt a safer strategy."
Fixture Details
The Ashes: Australia v England
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
