The Australian skipper has secured over 300 dismissals in 71 appearances with an stellar bowling average.
Australia's selection chief George Bailey has confirmed that pace spearhead Cummins will be a central figure in the forthcoming Ashes series.
Rumors had circulated that Cummins might miss the series due to a persistent back stress problem that remained unresolved.
Initial reports from the squad suggested no official announcement had been made regarding his involvement, with the extended contest scheduled to begin on November 21 in Western Australia.
The selector shared that the captain is progressing and remained hopeful about the likelihood of taking part.
"We know that time is getting short and there are permutations at play, not just the physical problem, but other factors as well," he commented.
"It's positive. [We are] really confident that he will feature a key capacity. With luck it's the first Test. Should that not happen, we'll reassess."
Injury History
He was sidelined Australia's limited-overs series against India and New Zealand recently after scans revealed a lower back issue.
There is a track record of spinal problems, with flare-ups in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 forcing him out of several home seasons in a limited period.
The bowler mentioned he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his comeback strategy to ensure his availability for the contest.
Bailey noted that he did not know if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his recovery but conceded it was "pressing" for him to regain fitness for the initial match.
Contingency Plans
If he's unavailable, former captain Steve Smith will assume leadership.
Versatile player Green was withdrawn recently from the national team for their one-day international series against India as a preventive step because of discomfort in his torso.
Bailey described it as a "small issue and confirmed that Green will play in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "well-prepared to be ready to bowl."
"Considerable effort has gone into building out the plan for him to take part for the initial game as an dual-role player," he elaborated.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the initial matches anyway. His aggressive style the bat in limited-overs, should it hinder progress for a short period, we just made the decision to adopt a safer strategy."
Match Calendar
The Historic Rivalry
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
