The pace bowler has claimed over 300 dismissals in 71 appearances with an stellar bowling average.
The Australian chief selector George Bailey has declared that skipper Cummins will play a "major part" in the upcoming historic rivalry.
Rumors had circulated that Cummins might sit out due to a persistent back stress problem that remained unresolved.
Earlier indications from the Australian camp suggested no final decision had been made regarding his involvement, with the five-Test series scheduled to begin on November 21 in the WACA.
Bailey expressed that Cummins is "building up" and was "optimistic" about the prospects of taking part.
"It's clear that the clock is ticking and there are permutations involved, not just the back issue, but additional elements," he commented.
"The outlook is good. We firmly believe that he'll participate in a major part. With luck starting in Perth. Should that not happen, we'll reassess."
Injury History
He was sidelined Australia's limited-overs series against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals in the previous weeks after examinations confirmed a stress reaction in his back.
He has a history of recurring issues, with recurrences in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 forcing him out of three Australian summers in a limited period.
He emphasized he would be proactive in his approach in his rehabilitation process to make the squad for the Ashes.
Bailey noted that it was unclear if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his rehabilitation but admitted it was "becoming urgent" for him to regain fitness for the first Test.
Contingency Plans
Should Cummins not be fit, veteran batsman Smith will take over the captaincy.
All-rounder Cameron Green was recently pulled out from the ODI lineup for their one-day international series against India as a safety move because of an abdominal issue.
The selector characterized it as a "small issue and mentioned that he'll feature in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "in a good place to resume bowling."
"Considerable effort has gone into building out the plan for him to be available for the opening match as an all-rounder," he elaborated.
"His involvement was limited to the initial matches in any case. The way he swings the bat in limited-overs, should it hinder progress for 24 more hours, we opted to adopt a safer strategy."
Series Schedule
The Ashes: Australia v England
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
