The pace bowler has claimed over 300 dismissals in 71 five-day games with an average of 22.10.
Australia's chair of selectors George Bailey has stated that pace spearhead Cummins will be a central figure in the upcoming Ashes series.
Speculation had been growing that the veteran bowler might miss the series due to a ongoing back issue that had not yet healed.
Previous updates from team management suggested no official announcement had been made regarding his involvement, with the five-Test series set to start on November 21 in the WACA.
He revealed that Cummins is "building up" and remained hopeful about the likelihood of being involved.
"We know that the clock is ticking and there are permutations at play, not just the physical problem, but additional elements," Bailey remarked.
"The outlook is good. [We are] really confident that he will feature a key capacity. Hopefully it's the first Test. Otherwise, we'll reassess."
Previous Setbacks
The captain missed Australia's limited-overs series against India and New Zealand recently after examinations confirmed a stress reaction in his back.
He has a history of spinal problems, with setbacks in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 leading to absences from multiple domestic campaigns in four years.
He emphasized he would be bold in recovery efforts in his recovery plan to secure his spot for the series.
He mentioned that he did not know if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his recovery but admitted it was "pressing" for him to recover fully for the initial match.
Backup Options
If he's unavailable, veteran batsman Smith will lead the side.
All-rounder Cameron Green was excluded lately from Australia's squad for their limited-overs matches against India as a precautionary measure because of soreness in his side.
Bailey described it as a "small issue and confirmed that he'll feature in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "well-prepared to deliver overs."
"Extensive planning has gone into building out the plan for him to be available for the first Test as an batting and bowling option," Bailey explained.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the first two ODIs anyway. The way he swings the willow in shorter formats, even if it just sets him back for a short period, we opted to approach this more conservatively."
Match Calendar
Australia vs England: The Ashes
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
