The Australian skipper has claimed 309 Test scalps in 71 appearances with an stellar bowling average.
Australia's chief selector George Bailey has stated that skipper Cummins will play a "major part" in this winter's England-Australia contest.
Rumors had circulated that Cummins might miss the series due to a ongoing back issue that had not yet healed.
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 the 21st of November in the WACA.
The selector shared that his recovery is on track and remained hopeful about the prospects of participating.
"We know that the window is narrowing and there are permutations involved, aside from the physical problem, but other factors as well," Bailey remarked.
"It's positive. [We are] really confident that he's going to play a major part. With luck from the opening match. Should that not happen, we'll reassess."
Previous Setbacks
Cummins was ruled out Australia's limited-overs series against India and New Zealand in the previous weeks after examinations confirmed a lower back issue.
Previous incidents include of recurring issues, with recurrences in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 causing him to miss several home seasons in a short span.
He emphasized he would be bold in recovery efforts in his rehabilitation process to ensure his availability for the series.
Bailey noted that it was unclear if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his recovery but conceded it was "becoming urgent" for him to recover fully for the first Test.
Backup Options
If he's unavailable, veteran batsman Smith will lead the side.
The talented all-rounder was recently pulled out from the ODI lineup for their limited-overs matches against the Asian giants as a safety move because of an abdominal issue.
He labeled it as a "minor" injury and confirmed that he's scheduled to appear in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "well-prepared to resume bowling."
"Considerable effort has gone into developing the strategy for him to participate for the first Test as an all-rounder," the selector detailed.
"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 a short period, we opted to adopt a safer strategy."
Match Calendar
The Ashes: Australia v England
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
