The Australian skipper has taken 309 Test scalps in 71 appearances with an impressive average.
Australia's chair of selectors George Bailey has confirmed that skipper Cummins will have a crucial role in the upcoming historic rivalry.
There were concerns that the 32-year-old might miss the series due to a persistent back stress problem that remained unresolved.
Initial reports from team management suggested no definitive call had been made regarding whether he would play, with the five-Test series kicking off on 21 November in the WACA.
He revealed that Cummins is "building up" and felt positive about the prospects of taking part.
"We know that time is getting short and there are permutations around that, not just his injury, but further aspects," he commented.
"We're encouraged. [We are] really confident that he's going to play a major part. Ideally from the opening match. Otherwise, then we'll pick it up."
Injury History
He was sidelined the ODI and T20 games against India and New Zealand in the previous weeks after medical tests showed a stress reaction in his back.
Previous incidents include of back injuries, with setbacks in multiple past seasons forcing him out of three Australian summers in four years.
The bowler mentioned he would be proactive in his approach in his comeback strategy to make the squad for the series.
Bailey noted that it was unclear if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his comeback but admitted it was "getting tight" for him to recover fully for the first Test.
Contingency Plans
In case of absence, former captain Steve Smith will assume leadership.
The talented all-rounder was excluded lately from the ODI lineup for their limited-overs matches against India as a safety move because of soreness in his side.
The selector characterized it as a "small issue and stated that Green will play in the state-level matches, so will be "ideally positioned to deliver overs."
"Considerable effort has gone into developing the strategy for him to participate for the initial game as an dual-role player," he elaborated.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the starting games anyway. How he handles the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, should it hinder progress for 24 more hours, the choice was made to take a cautious route."
Fixture Details
Australia vs England: The Ashes
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
