The Australian skipper has secured over 300 dismissals in 71 five-day games with an average of 22.10.
Australia's chair of selectors George Bailey has declared that pace spearhead Cummins will be a central figure in the upcoming Ashes series.
Rumors had circulated that the 32-year-old might be unavailable due to a stress fracture in his back that had not yet healed.
Previous updates from team management suggested no final decision had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the extended contest set to start on 21 November in Western Australia.
He revealed that Cummins is "building up" and remained hopeful about his chances of taking part.
"We know that time is getting short and there are permutations around that, not just his injury, but other factors as well," Bailey remarked.
"We're encouraged. [We are] really confident that he'll participate in a significant role. Hopefully it's the first Test. If not, then we'll pick it up."
Past Concerns
He was sidelined Australia's limited-overs series against New Zealand and India recently after medical tests showed a lumbar bone stress.
There is a track record of back injuries, with recurrences in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 forcing him out of several home seasons in a short span.
Cummins stated he would be proactive in his approach in his rehabilitation process to make the squad for the Ashes.
Bailey noted that there was no confirmation if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his recovery but acknowledged it was "pressing" for him to regain fitness for the initial match.
Alternative Arrangements
Should Cummins not be fit, veteran batsman Smith will take over the captaincy.
Versatile player Green was excluded lately from the ODI lineup for their limited-overs matches against the Asian giants as a preventive step because of soreness in his side.
Bailey described it as a "minor" injury and stated that Green will play in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "ideally positioned to resume bowling."
"We put so much time has gone into building out the plan for him to take part for the initial game as an dual-role player," Bailey explained.
"His involvement was limited to the initial matches in any case. The way he swings the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, should it hinder progress for a short period, we just made the decision to take a cautious route."
Fixture Details
Australia vs England: The Ashes
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
