The Australian skipper has secured over 300 dismissals in 71 appearances with an stellar bowling average.
Australia's chief selector the selector has declared that skipper Cummins will play a "major part" in the forthcoming England-Australia contest.
Rumors had circulated that the 32-year-old might sit out due to a stress fracture in his back that was still troubling him.
Initial reports from the Australian camp suggested no final decision had been made regarding his involvement, with the extended contest set to start on 21 November in Perth.
The selector shared that the captain is progressing and remained hopeful about his chances of taking part.
"We know that the clock is ticking and various factors around that, aside from the physical problem, but additional elements," the selector added.
"It's positive. We firmly believe that he will feature a significant role. Ideally it's the first Test. If not, then we'll pick it up."
Previous Setbacks
Cummins was ruled out the white-ball matches against India and New Zealand recently after medical tests showed a lumbar bone stress.
There is a track record of recurring issues, with setbacks in multiple past seasons forcing him out of three Australian summers in a short span.
Cummins stated he would be bold in recovery efforts in his comeback strategy to ensure his availability for the Ashes.
The selector indicated that there was no confirmation if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his comeback but acknowledged it was "getting tight" for him to recover fully for the opener.
Backup Options
If he's unavailable, ex-skipper Smith will lead the side.
All-rounder Cameron Green was excluded lately from Australia's squad for their limited-overs matches against the subcontinent side as a safety move because of discomfort in his torso.
Bailey described it as a "minor" injury and stated that he's scheduled to appear in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "in a good place to deliver overs."
"Extensive planning has gone into building out the plan for him to take part for the opening match as an dual-role player," Bailey explained.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the first two ODIs regardless. His aggressive style the bat in limited-overs, if it causes any delay for 24 more hours, we just made the decision to take a cautious route."
Match Calendar
Australia vs England: The Ashes
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
