The pace bowler has claimed over 300 dismissals in 71 five-day games with an average of 22.10.
Australia's chief selector George Bailey has declared that pace spearhead Cummins will play a "major part" in the forthcoming Ashes series.
Speculation had been growing that the veteran bowler might be unavailable due to a ongoing back issue that had not yet healed.
Initial reports from the squad suggested no definitive call had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the five-Test series scheduled to begin on November 21 in Western Australia.
The selector shared that the captain is progressing and felt positive about the prospects of taking part.
"We know that time is getting short and multiple considerations involved, not only the back issue, but additional elements," the selector added.
"The outlook is good. We firmly believe that he's going to play a significant role. Hopefully from the opening match. Otherwise, we'll reassess."
Injury History
The captain missed the ODI and T20 games against India and New Zealand last month after medical tests showed a stress reaction in his back.
Previous incidents include of recurring issues, with flare-ups in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 causing him to miss multiple domestic campaigns in a short span.
Cummins stated he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his recovery plan to make the squad for the contest.
He mentioned that he did not know if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his comeback but conceded it was "becoming urgent" for him to recover fully for the first Test.
Alternative Arrangements
Should Cummins not be fit, veteran batsman Smith will lead the side.
Versatile player Green was recently pulled out from Australia's squad for their limited-overs matches against the Asian giants as a preventive step because of discomfort in his torso.
The selector characterized it as a "small issue and confirmed that Green will play in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "ideally positioned to resume bowling."
"Extensive planning has gone into building out the plan for him to participate for the initial game as an batting and bowling option," the selector detailed.
"He was only going to play the initial matches anyway. The way he swings the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, even if it just sets him back for another day, the choice was made to approach this more conservatively."
Series Schedule
Australia vs England: The Ashes
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
