The Australian skipper has secured 309 Test scalps in 71 Test matches with an stellar bowling average.
Australia's chief selector George Bailey has confirmed that skipper Cummins will play a "major part" in the forthcoming historic rivalry.
Speculation had been growing that the 32-year-old might sit out due to a persistent back stress problem that remained unresolved.
Previous updates from team management suggested no definitive call had been made regarding whether he would play, with the extended contest kicking off on 21 November in Western Australia.
Bailey expressed that the captain is progressing and was "optimistic" about his chances of taking part.
"It's clear that the clock is ticking and there are permutations around that, not only the back issue, but additional elements," the selector added.
"It's positive. [We are] really confident that he'll participate in a significant role. With luck starting in Perth. If not, then we'll pick it up."
Injury History
Cummins was ruled out the ODI and T20 games against New Zealand and India recently after scans revealed a lower back issue.
Previous incidents include of back injuries, with recurrences in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 forcing him out of multiple domestic campaigns in a short span.
The bowler mentioned he would be proactive in his approach in his comeback strategy to make the squad for the Ashes.
He mentioned that he did not know if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his recovery but admitted it was "becoming urgent" for him to recover fully for the initial match.
Alternative Arrangements
If he's unavailable, former captain Steve Smith will take over the captaincy.
All-rounder Cameron Green was withdrawn recently from the ODI lineup for their ODI contests against the Asian giants as a safety move because of an abdominal issue.
He labeled it as a "small issue and confirmed that he's scheduled to appear in the state-level matches, so will be "in a good place 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.
"He was only going to play the first two ODIs in any case. His aggressive style the bat in limited-overs, if it causes any delay for another day, we just made the decision to take a cautious route."
Match Calendar
The Ashes: Australia v England
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
