The pace bowler has taken 309 Test scalps in 71 appearances with an stellar bowling average.
Australia's chief selector the selector has declared 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 be unavailable due to a ongoing back issue that was still troubling him.
Previous updates from the squad suggested no official announcement had been made regarding his involvement, with the extended contest scheduled to begin on 21 November in Perth.
The selector shared that Cummins is "building up" and felt positive about the prospects of participating.
"We know that the clock is ticking and multiple considerations involved, not just the physical problem, but additional elements," he commented.
"We're encouraged. [We are] really confident that he will feature a significant role. Hopefully from the opening match. Otherwise, we'll reassess."
Injury History
The captain missed the white-ball matches against New Zealand and India last month after medical tests showed a stress reaction in his back.
He has a history of back injuries, with flare-ups in several earlier campaigns forcing him out of three Australian summers in four years.
The bowler mentioned he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his rehabilitation process to secure his spot for the series.
Bailey noted that it was unclear if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his rehabilitation but acknowledged it was "getting tight" for him to be fit for the initial match.
Contingency Plans
Should Cummins not be fit, veteran batsman Smith will take over the captaincy.
The talented all-rounder was excluded lately from Australia's squad for their limited-overs matches against the subcontinent side as a precautionary measure because of discomfort in his torso.
The selector characterized it as a "minor" injury and mentioned that Green will play in the state-level matches, so will be "in a good place to deliver overs."
"We put so much time has gone into building out the plan for him to be available for the opening match as an batting and bowling option," Bailey explained.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the starting games in any case. The way he swings the bat in limited-overs, even if it just sets him back for a short period, we opted to approach this more conservatively."
Match Calendar
The Ashes: Australia v England
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
