The Australian skipper has secured over 300 dismissals in 71 appearances with an impressive average.
The Australian chair of selectors George Bailey has confirmed that skipper Cummins will play a "major part" in this winter's England-Australia contest.
There were concerns that the veteran bowler might sit out due to a persistent back stress problem that remained unresolved.
Previous updates from the Australian camp suggested no definitive call had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the Test matches set to start on November 21 in Perth.
The selector shared that his recovery is on track and felt positive about his chances of participating.
"It's clear that the window is narrowing and there are permutations at play, aside from the back issue, but further aspects," he commented.
"We're encouraged. [We are] really confident that he's going to play a significant role. Hopefully from the opening match. If not, we'll reassess."
Past Concerns
Cummins was ruled out the white-ball matches against India and New Zealand in the previous weeks after examinations confirmed a lumbar bone stress.
He has a history of spinal problems, with setbacks in multiple past seasons causing him to miss several home seasons in four years.
Cummins stated he would be bold in recovery efforts in his rehabilitation process to make the squad for the Ashes.
He mentioned that there was no confirmation if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his rehabilitation but admitted it was "pressing" for him to recover fully for the first Test.
Contingency Plans
Should Cummins not be fit, ex-skipper Smith will lead the side.
The talented all-rounder was withdrawn recently from Australia's squad for their one-day international series against India as a precautionary measure because of soreness in his side.
The selector characterized it as a "minor" injury and mentioned that Green will play in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "well-prepared to deliver overs."
"Extensive planning has gone into building out the plan for him to participate for the opening match as an all-rounder," the selector detailed.
"His involvement was limited to the initial matches in any case. His aggressive style the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, should it hinder progress for 24 more hours, we just made the decision to take a cautious route."
Match Calendar
The Historic Rivalry
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
