The pace bowler has taken 309 wickets in 71 appearances with an stellar bowling average.
Australia's chief selector George Bailey has declared that skipper Cummins will have a crucial role in this winter's Ashes series.
Rumors had circulated that the veteran bowler might be unavailable due to a stress fracture in his back that was still troubling him.
Previous updates from the Australian camp suggested no official announcement had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the extended contest set to start on the 21st of November in Perth.
The selector shared that the captain is progressing and was "optimistic" about his chances of taking part.
"We're aware that the window is narrowing and there are permutations around that, aside from the back issue, but additional elements," Bailey remarked.
"The outlook is good. There's strong faith that he will feature a major part. Ideally it's the first Test. Should that not happen, we'll reassess."
Injury History
Cummins was ruled out Australia's limited-overs series against India and New Zealand last month after scans revealed a stress reaction in his back.
Previous incidents include of back injuries, with setbacks in several earlier campaigns leading to absences from several home seasons in a short span.
The bowler mentioned he would be proactive in his approach in his comeback strategy to make the squad for the series.
He mentioned that he did not know if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his recovery but acknowledged it was "becoming urgent" for him to be fit for the first Test.
Backup Options
In case of absence, ex-skipper Smith will assume leadership.
The talented all-rounder was withdrawn recently from Australia's squad for their one-day international series against the subcontinent side as a preventive step because of an abdominal issue.
Bailey described it as a "minor" injury and confirmed that he'll feature in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "ideally positioned to resume bowling."
"Considerable effort has gone into developing the strategy for him to be available for the first Test as an dual-role player," the selector detailed.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the initial matches anyway. The way he swings the bat in limited-overs, if it causes any delay for a short period, we just made the decision to approach this more conservatively."
Match Calendar
Australia vs England: The Ashes
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
