The Australian skipper has claimed over 300 dismissals in 71 five-day games with an average of 22.10.
Australia's chief selector George Bailey has declared that pace spearhead Cummins will have a crucial role in the forthcoming Ashes series.
Speculation had been growing that the veteran bowler might be unavailable due to a persistent back stress problem that had not yet healed.
Initial reports from the Australian camp suggested no final decision had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the Test matches set to start on the 21st of November in Western Australia.
He revealed that the captain is progressing and was "optimistic" about the prospects of taking part.
"We're aware that the window is narrowing and various factors involved, not only his injury, but other factors as well," the selector added.
"It's positive. [We are] really confident that he will feature a major part. Hopefully from the opening match. Should that not happen, then we'll pick it up."
Previous Setbacks
He was sidelined Australia's limited-overs series against New Zealand and India in the previous weeks after examinations confirmed a lower back issue.
There is a track record of recurring issues, with flare-ups in multiple past seasons forcing him out of several home seasons in a short span.
He emphasized he would be bold in recovery efforts in his recovery plan to make the squad for the series.
The selector indicated that he did not know if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his recovery but admitted it was "becoming urgent" for him to recover fully for the first Test.
Contingency Plans
If he's unavailable, veteran batsman Smith will take over the captaincy.
All-rounder Cameron Green was withdrawn recently from Australia's squad for their one-day international series against the subcontinent side as a precautionary measure because of discomfort in his torso.
Bailey described it as a "small issue and confirmed that Green will play in the state-level matches, so will be "well-prepared to resume bowling."
"Extensive planning has gone into developing the strategy for him to be available for the initial game as an dual-role player," the selector detailed.
"His involvement was limited to the first two ODIs anyway. How he handles the bat in limited-overs, even if it just sets him back for another day, we just made the decision to approach this more conservatively."
Match Calendar
Australia vs England: The Ashes
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
