The Australian skipper has claimed 309 wickets in 71 five-day games with an impressive average.
The Australian selection chief the selector has stated that pace spearhead Cummins will play a "major part" in the upcoming England-Australia contest.
Speculation had been growing that the 32-year-old might miss the series due to a ongoing back issue that had not yet healed.
Initial reports from the Australian camp suggested no final decision had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the five-Test series kicking off on November 21 in the WACA.
The selector shared that the captain is progressing and was "optimistic" about the likelihood of participating.
"We're aware that time is getting short and there are permutations around that, aside from the physical problem, but further aspects," the selector added.
"The outlook is good. There's strong faith that he'll participate in a significant role. Hopefully from the opening match. If not, we'll adjust."
Injury History
He was sidelined the ODI and T20 games against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals in the previous weeks after examinations confirmed a lumbar bone stress.
There is a track record of spinal problems, with flare-ups in multiple past seasons causing him to miss three Australian summers in a short span.
The bowler mentioned he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his rehabilitation process to secure his spot for the contest.
He mentioned that it was unclear if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his comeback but conceded it was "getting tight" for him to recover fully for the opener.
Backup Options
If he's unavailable, ex-skipper Smith will take over the captaincy.
The talented all-rounder was withdrawn recently from the ODI lineup for their one-day international series against India as a precautionary measure because of discomfort in his torso.
The selector characterized it as a "slight concern and stated that he's scheduled to appear 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 be available for the first Test as an all-rounder," Bailey explained.
"His involvement was limited to the initial matches in any case. His aggressive style the willow in shorter formats, if it causes any delay for a short period, we opted to adopt a safer strategy."
Series Schedule
The Ashes: Australia v England
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
