The Australian skipper has claimed 309 wickets in 71 Test matches with an impressive average.
Australia's selection chief the selector has confirmed that pace spearhead Cummins will play a "major part" in the forthcoming historic rivalry.
Speculation had been growing that the 32-year-old might be unavailable due to a stress fracture in his back that remained unresolved.
Initial reports from the squad suggested no final decision had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the five-Test series scheduled to begin on November 21 in Western Australia.
He revealed that the captain is progressing and remained hopeful about the likelihood of taking part.
"It's clear that the window is narrowing and there are permutations at play, not just the physical problem, but other factors as well," the selector added.
"It's positive. [We are] really confident that he'll participate in a key capacity. With luck starting in Perth. Should that not happen, then we'll pick it up."
Previous Setbacks
Cummins was ruled out Australia's limited-overs series against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals in the previous weeks after scans revealed a lumbar bone stress.
There is a track record of spinal problems, with setbacks in several earlier campaigns causing him to miss several home seasons in a short span.
The bowler mentioned he would be proactive in his approach in his comeback strategy to secure his spot for the Ashes.
The selector indicated that he did not know if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his comeback but conceded it was "becoming urgent" for him to be fit for the first Test.
Contingency Plans
Should Cummins not be fit, former captain Steve Smith will take over the captaincy.
All-rounder Cameron Green was excluded lately from Australia's squad for their ODI contests against India as a safety move because of soreness in his side.
He labeled it as a "slight concern and stated that he'll feature in the state-level matches, so will be "well-prepared to be ready to bowl."
"We put so much time has gone into developing the strategy for him to participate for the initial game as an all-rounder," the selector detailed.
"He was only going to play the starting games regardless. How he handles the bat in limited-overs, should it hinder progress for another day, we just made the decision to adopt a safer strategy."
Fixture Details
The Ashes: Australia v England
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
