The pace bowler has secured over 300 dismissals in 71 five-day games with an impressive average.
The Australian selection chief the selector has declared that pace spearhead Cummins will play a "major part" in the forthcoming England-Australia contest.
There were concerns that the veteran bowler might miss the series due to a persistent back stress problem that was still troubling him.
Earlier indications from team management suggested no official announcement had been made regarding whether he would play, with the five-Test series kicking off on the 21st of November in Perth.
He revealed that his recovery is on track and felt positive about the likelihood of taking part.
"It's clear that the clock is ticking and multiple considerations at play, not just his injury, but other factors as well," the selector added.
"The outlook is good. There's strong faith that he's going to play a key capacity. Hopefully from the opening match. If not, we'll reassess."
Previous Setbacks
Cummins was ruled out the ODI and T20 games against New Zealand and India recently after medical tests showed a stress reaction in his back.
Previous incidents include of spinal problems, with recurrences in several earlier campaigns causing him to miss three Australian summers in a limited period.
Cummins stated he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his comeback strategy to secure his spot for the series.
He mentioned that there was no confirmation if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his comeback but conceded it was "getting tight" for him to regain fitness for the opener.
Contingency Plans
Should Cummins not be fit, veteran batsman Smith will lead the side.
All-rounder Cameron Green was excluded lately from the ODI lineup for their limited-overs matches against the subcontinent side as a precautionary measure because of an abdominal issue.
Bailey described it as a "slight concern and stated that he's scheduled to appear in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "well-prepared to be ready to bowl."
"Extensive planning has gone into building out the plan for him to be available for the first Test as an all-rounder," Bailey explained.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the starting games in any case. The way he swings the willow in shorter formats, even if it just sets him back for 24 more hours, we opted to approach this more conservatively."
Fixture Details
The Ashes: Australia v England
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
