The pace bowler has taken over 300 dismissals in 71 five-day games with an average of 22.10.
Australia's selection chief George Bailey has confirmed that pace spearhead Cummins will be a central figure in this winter's England-Australia contest.
Speculation had been growing that the veteran bowler might be unavailable due to a ongoing back issue that remained unresolved.
Earlier indications from team management suggested no final decision had been made regarding whether he would play, with the five-Test series scheduled to begin on November 21 in Western Australia.
He revealed that the captain is progressing and felt positive about the likelihood of taking part.
"We're aware that the clock is ticking and there are permutations involved, not only the physical problem, but other factors as well," Bailey remarked.
"It's positive. We firmly believe that he will feature a key capacity. With luck it's the first Test. Otherwise, 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 stress reaction in his back.
Previous incidents include of spinal problems, with setbacks in several earlier campaigns leading to absences from multiple domestic campaigns in a short span.
The bowler mentioned he would be proactive in his approach in his rehabilitation process to ensure his availability for the series.
Bailey noted that it was unclear if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his rehabilitation but acknowledged it was "becoming urgent" for him to recover fully for the initial match.
Alternative Arrangements
If he's unavailable, ex-skipper Smith will lead the side.
The talented all-rounder was withdrawn recently from the national team for their limited-overs matches against the Asian giants as a precautionary measure because of discomfort in his torso.
Bailey described it as a "small issue and confirmed that he's scheduled to appear in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "well-prepared to be ready to bowl."
"We put so much time has gone into creating the schedule for him to be available for the first Test as an dual-role player," Bailey explained.
"He was only going to play the first two ODIs in any case. How he handles the bat in limited-overs, even if it just sets him back for 24 more hours, we just made the decision to approach this more conservatively."
Series Schedule
Australia vs England: The Ashes
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
