The Australian skipper has taken 309 Test scalps in 71 appearances with an average of 22.10.
The Australian chief selector the selector has stated that pace spearhead Cummins will have a crucial role in the forthcoming England-Australia contest.
Speculation had been growing that the 32-year-old might be unavailable due to a ongoing back issue that had not yet healed.
Previous updates from the Australian camp suggested no final decision had been made regarding his involvement, with the extended contest set to start on November 21 in Western Australia.
He revealed that his recovery is on track and remained hopeful about the prospects of being involved.
"We know that the clock is ticking and there are permutations around that, aside from his injury, but further aspects," the selector added.
"We're encouraged. There's strong faith that he will feature a major part. Ideally from the opening match. Otherwise, then we'll pick it up."
Injury History
The captain missed Australia's limited-overs series against New Zealand and India in the previous weeks after scans revealed a lumbar bone stress.
He has a history of back injuries, with setbacks in multiple past seasons causing him to miss three Australian summers in a short span.
Cummins stated he would be bold in recovery efforts in his recovery plan to ensure his availability for the contest.
He mentioned that there was no confirmation if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his rehabilitation but conceded it was "getting tight" for him to be fit for the opener.
Backup Options
If he's unavailable, veteran batsman Smith will take over the captaincy.
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.
He labeled it as a "small issue and mentioned that Green will play in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "ideally positioned to deliver overs."
"We put so much time has gone into creating the schedule for him to participate for the first Test as an batting and bowling option," Bailey explained.
"He was only going to play the first two ODIs in any case. 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 take a cautious route."
Fixture Details
The Ashes: Australia v England
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
