The Australian skipper has taken over 300 dismissals in 71 appearances with an average of 22.10.
Australia's selection chief George Bailey has declared that skipper Cummins will play a "major part" in the forthcoming England-Australia contest.
There were concerns that Cummins might sit out due to a persistent back stress problem that was still troubling him.
Earlier indications from the squad suggested no final decision had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the extended contest scheduled to begin on November 21 in Western Australia.
Bailey expressed that the captain is progressing and was "optimistic" about his chances of being involved.
"It's clear that time is getting short and multiple considerations at play, aside from the physical problem, but further aspects," the selector added.
"It's positive. [We are] really confident that he'll participate in a major part. Hopefully it's the first Test. Should that not happen, we'll reassess."
Past Concerns
Cummins was ruled out Australia's limited-overs series against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals recently after examinations confirmed a lumbar bone stress.
There is a track record of recurring issues, with setbacks in several earlier campaigns causing him to miss multiple domestic campaigns in four years.
Cummins stated he would be bold in recovery efforts in his rehabilitation process to secure his spot for the Ashes.
Bailey noted that it was unclear if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his comeback but admitted it was "getting tight" for him to regain fitness for the opener.
Contingency Plans
If he's unavailable, veteran batsman Smith will lead the side.
The talented all-rounder was recently pulled out from the national team for their ODI contests against India as a safety move because of soreness in his side.
Bailey described it as a "slight concern and stated that he's scheduled to appear in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "ideally positioned to resume bowling."
"Extensive planning has gone into building out the plan for him to be available for the initial game as an all-rounder," the selector detailed.
"He was only going to play the initial matches anyway. How he handles the bat in limited-overs, even if it just sets him back for a short period, we opted to take a cautious route."
Series Schedule
Australia vs England: The Ashes
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
