The pace bowler has taken 309 Test scalps in 71 five-day games with an stellar bowling average.
Australia's selection chief George Bailey has stated that pace spearhead Cummins will play a "major part" in the upcoming historic rivalry.
There were concerns that the 32-year-old might be unavailable due to a stress fracture in his back that had not yet healed.
Earlier indications from the squad suggested no definitive call had been made regarding his involvement, with the extended contest set to start on 21 November in Western Australia.
Bailey expressed that his recovery is on track and felt positive about his chances of taking part.
"We know that the clock is ticking and various factors around that, not just his injury, but other factors as well," Bailey remarked.
"The outlook is good. There's strong faith that he's going to play a significant role. With luck it's the first Test. Should that not happen, we'll reassess."
Previous Setbacks
The captain missed the white-ball matches against India and New Zealand last month after medical tests showed a lower back issue.
He has a history of recurring issues, with flare-ups in multiple past seasons forcing him out of three Australian summers in a limited period.
Cummins stated he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his recovery plan to ensure his availability for the Ashes.
The selector indicated that there was no confirmation if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his recovery but acknowledged it was "pressing" for him to recover fully for the initial match.
Alternative Arrangements
If he's unavailable, veteran batsman Smith will assume leadership.
The talented all-rounder was recently pulled out from Australia's squad for their one-day international series against the subcontinent side as a precautionary measure because of an abdominal issue.
He labeled it as a "small issue and stated that he's scheduled to appear in the state-level matches, so will be "ideally positioned to resume bowling."
"Extensive planning has gone into developing the strategy for him to participate for the first Test as an dual-role player," Bailey explained.
"He was only going to play the first two ODIs anyway. His aggressive style the willow in shorter formats, even if it just sets him back for a short period, we just made the decision to approach this more conservatively."
Series Schedule
Australia vs England: The Ashes
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
