The pace bowler has taken 309 wickets in 71 appearances with an average of 22.10.
The Australian chief selector George Bailey has confirmed that skipper Cummins will have a crucial role in the upcoming historic rivalry.
Rumors had circulated that the 32-year-old might miss the series due to a ongoing back issue that remained unresolved.
Initial reports from the Australian camp suggested no definitive call had been made regarding whether he would play, with the Test matches set to start on November 21 in the WACA.
The selector shared that his recovery is on track and felt positive about the prospects of being involved.
"We know that the window is narrowing and various factors at play, aside from his injury, but other factors as well," Bailey remarked.
"We're encouraged. There's strong faith that he will feature a major part. Hopefully it's the first Test. Should that not happen, we'll adjust."
Injury History
He was sidelined Australia's limited-overs series against India and New Zealand in the previous weeks after examinations confirmed a lower back issue.
Previous incidents include of back injuries, with flare-ups in multiple past seasons leading to absences from several home seasons in a limited period.
Cummins stated he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his rehabilitation process to ensure his availability for the contest.
He mentioned that it was unclear if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his recovery but admitted it was "getting tight" for him to regain fitness for the first Test.
Alternative Arrangements
In case of absence, veteran batsman Smith will assume leadership.
All-rounder Cameron Green was recently pulled out from the ODI lineup for their ODI contests against the subcontinent side as a precautionary measure because of soreness in his side.
The selector characterized it as a "minor" injury and confirmed that he's scheduled to appear in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "well-prepared to resume bowling."
"We put so much time has gone into developing the strategy for him to participate for the initial game as an batting and bowling option," Bailey explained.
"His involvement was limited to the first two ODIs anyway. How he handles the bat in limited-overs, even if it just sets him back for another day, we just made the decision to take a cautious route."
Match Calendar
Australia vs England: The Ashes
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
