The pace bowler has secured 309 wickets in 71 five-day games with an stellar bowling average.
The Australian chief selector George Bailey has declared that pace spearhead Cummins will play a "major part" in this winter's Ashes series.
There were concerns that the 32-year-old might be unavailable due to a persistent back stress problem that had not yet healed.
Earlier indications from the Australian camp suggested no official announcement had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the Test matches set to start on November 21 in the WACA.
The selector shared that Cummins is "building up" and remained hopeful about the likelihood of participating.
"We know that time is getting short and there are permutations at play, not just the back issue, but further aspects," Bailey remarked.
"We're encouraged. We firmly believe that he's going to play a major part. Hopefully it's the first Test. Should that not happen, we'll reassess."
Injury History
The captain missed the ODI and T20 games against New Zealand and India last month after scans revealed a lumbar bone stress.
He has a history of recurring issues, with setbacks in several earlier campaigns forcing him out of three Australian summers in a short span.
He emphasized he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his rehabilitation process to secure his spot for the series.
Bailey noted that there was no confirmation if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his rehabilitation but admitted it was "becoming urgent" for him to be fit for the initial match.
Contingency Plans
In case of absence, ex-skipper Smith will assume leadership.
All-rounder Cameron Green was excluded lately from Australia's squad for their limited-overs matches against the Asian giants as a safety move because of discomfort in his torso.
The selector characterized it as a "minor" injury and mentioned that Green will play in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "ideally positioned to resume bowling."
"Considerable effort has gone into building out the plan for him to be available for the first Test as an all-rounder," Bailey explained.
"His involvement was limited to the starting games regardless. How he handles the bat in limited-overs, should it hinder progress for 24 more hours, the choice was made to adopt a safer strategy."
Series Schedule
Australia vs England: The Ashes
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
