The Australian skipper has taken 309 Test scalps in 71 appearances with an average of 22.10.
The Australian chair of selectors the selector has declared that pace spearhead Cummins will play a "major part" in the forthcoming England-Australia contest.
Speculation had been growing that Cummins might miss the series due to a stress fracture in his back that was still troubling him.
Initial reports from the Australian camp suggested no official announcement had been made regarding whether he would play, with the extended contest set to start on 21 November in Western Australia.
The selector shared that his recovery is on track and was "optimistic" about his chances of being involved.
"It's clear that time is getting short and there are permutations around that, not only the physical problem, but further aspects," the selector added.
"It's positive. We firmly believe that he will feature a key capacity. Hopefully it's the first Test. Should that not happen, we'll adjust."
Previous Setbacks
The captain missed Australia's limited-overs series against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals in the previous weeks after examinations confirmed a lower back issue.
There is a track record of spinal problems, with flare-ups in multiple past seasons leading to absences from three Australian summers in a limited period.
Cummins stated he would be proactive in his approach in his comeback strategy to ensure his availability for the series.
He mentioned that it was unclear if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his recovery but admitted it was "pressing" for him to recover fully for the initial match.
Contingency Plans
Should Cummins not be fit, veteran batsman Smith will lead the side.
All-rounder Cameron Green was withdrawn recently from Australia's squad for their one-day international series against the Asian giants as a preventive step because of discomfort in his torso.
Bailey described it as a "slight concern and confirmed that he's scheduled to appear in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "in a good place to be ready to bowl."
"Extensive planning has gone into building out the plan for him to take part for the first Test as an dual-role player," the selector detailed.
"His involvement was limited to the initial matches regardless. The way he swings the bat in limited-overs, even if it just sets him back for 24 more hours, we just made the decision to approach this more conservatively."
Series Schedule
Australia vs England: The Ashes
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
