The Australian skipper has taken 309 Test scalps in 71 five-day games with an stellar bowling average.
Australia's chief selector George Bailey has declared that skipper Cummins will play a "major part" in the upcoming England-Australia contest.
Rumors had circulated that the 32-year-old might sit out due to a persistent back stress problem that was still troubling him.
Previous updates from the Australian camp suggested no definitive call had been made regarding whether he would play, with the extended contest set to start on November 21 in Western Australia.
Bailey expressed that his recovery is on track and felt positive about his chances of participating.
"It's clear that time is getting short and there are permutations involved, not just his injury, but other factors as well," Bailey remarked.
"We're encouraged. There's strong faith that he will feature a key capacity. Hopefully starting in Perth. If not, then we'll pick it up."
Previous Setbacks
He was sidelined 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 recurring issues, with recurrences in multiple past seasons leading to absences from three Australian summers in four years.
The bowler mentioned he would be bold in recovery efforts in his rehabilitation process to make the squad for the Ashes.
Bailey noted that there was no confirmation if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his recovery but acknowledged it was "pressing" for him to recover fully for the first Test.
Contingency Plans
If he's unavailable, former captain Steve Smith will assume leadership.
Versatile player Green was recently pulled out from the ODI lineup for their limited-overs matches against India as a safety move because of an abdominal issue.
Bailey described it as a "slight concern and mentioned that he's scheduled to appear in the state-level matches, so will be "in a good place to be ready to bowl."
"Extensive planning has gone into building out the plan for him to take part for the first Test as an batting and bowling option," he elaborated.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the initial matches anyway. The way he swings the bat in limited-overs, if it causes any delay for a short period, we just made the decision to adopt a safer strategy."
Series Schedule
Australia vs England: The Ashes
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
