The pace bowler has secured 309 Test scalps in 71 five-day games with an stellar bowling average.
The Australian chief selector George Bailey has declared that skipper Cummins will have a crucial role in this winter's historic rivalry.
There were concerns that the veteran bowler might sit out due to a stress fracture in his back that remained unresolved.
Initial reports from team management suggested no final decision had been made regarding his involvement, with the five-Test series kicking off on 21 November in the WACA.
He revealed that his recovery is on track and felt positive about the prospects of participating.
"We know that time is getting short and various factors at play, not only the back issue, but other factors as well," Bailey remarked.
"The outlook is good. We firmly believe that he'll participate in a key capacity. With luck from the opening match. Otherwise, we'll reassess."
Previous Setbacks
Cummins was ruled out Australia's limited-overs series against India and New Zealand last month after scans revealed a stress reaction in his back.
There is a track record of spinal problems, with setbacks in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 leading to absences from multiple domestic campaigns in four years.
He emphasized he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his comeback strategy to make the squad for the Ashes.
The selector indicated that there was no confirmation if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his recovery but admitted it was "getting tight" for him to be fit for the initial match.
Contingency Plans
Should Cummins not be fit, veteran batsman Smith will take over the captaincy.
All-rounder Cameron Green was withdrawn recently from the national team for their ODI contests against the subcontinent side as a precautionary measure because of discomfort in his torso.
He labeled it as a "small issue and stated that he's scheduled to appear in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "well-prepared to resume bowling."
"Extensive planning has gone into developing the strategy for him to take part for the initial game as an batting and bowling option," the selector detailed.
"He was only going to play the first two ODIs anyway. His aggressive style the bat in limited-overs, if it causes any delay for a short period, we opted to adopt a safer strategy."
Fixture Details
The Historic Rivalry
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
