The Australian skipper has taken over 300 dismissals in 71 five-day games with an average of 22.10.
Australia's selection chief George Bailey has declared that pace spearhead Cummins will play a "major part" in the forthcoming Ashes series.
Speculation had been growing that Cummins might be unavailable due to a ongoing back issue that remained unresolved.
Earlier indications from team management suggested no final decision had been made regarding his involvement, with the five-Test series kicking off on November 21 in Western Australia.
Bailey expressed that his recovery is on track and felt positive about his chances of being involved.
"We're aware that time is getting short and various factors at play, not only the back issue, but further aspects," the selector added.
"We're encouraged. There's strong faith that he will feature a key capacity. Ideally it's the first Test. Otherwise, then we'll pick it up."
Previous Setbacks
Cummins was ruled out Australia's limited-overs series against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals in the previous weeks after scans revealed a lumbar bone stress.
He has a history of spinal problems, with flare-ups in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 forcing him out of several home seasons 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.
The selector indicated that there was no confirmation if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his recovery but conceded it was "becoming urgent" for him to regain fitness for the first Test.
Backup Options
If he's unavailable, veteran batsman Smith will assume leadership.
Versatile player Green was excluded lately from Australia's squad for their ODI contests against India as a safety move because of an abdominal issue.
He labeled it as a "small issue and stated that Green will play in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "ideally positioned to be ready to bowl."
"We put so much time has gone into building out the plan for him to be available for the initial game as an dual-role player," he elaborated.
"His involvement was limited to the initial matches anyway. How he handles the willow in shorter formats, even if it just sets him back for a short period, we opted to approach this more conservatively."
Series Schedule
The Ashes: Australia v England
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
