The Australian skipper has claimed 309 wickets in 71 Test matches with an average of 22.10.
Australia's chair of selectors George Bailey has stated that pace spearhead Cummins will have a crucial role in the upcoming Ashes series.
Speculation had been growing that the veteran bowler might miss the series due to a persistent back stress problem that had not yet healed.
Initial reports from the squad suggested no official announcement had been made regarding whether he would play, with the Test matches kicking off on the 21st of November in Perth.
Bailey expressed that Cummins is "building up" and felt positive about the prospects of participating.
"It's clear that the clock is ticking and various factors involved, aside from the physical problem, but additional elements," Bailey remarked.
"The outlook is good. There's strong faith that he'll participate in a significant role. Hopefully it's the first Test. Should that not happen, we'll reassess."
Injury History
Cummins was ruled out Australia's limited-overs series against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals in the previous weeks after medical tests showed a lower back issue.
Previous incidents include of back injuries, with flare-ups in multiple past seasons causing him to miss three Australian summers in four years.
The bowler mentioned he would be bold in recovery efforts in his rehabilitation process to secure his spot for the contest.
The selector indicated that it was unclear if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his comeback but acknowledged it was "getting tight" for him to recover fully for the first Test.
Backup Options
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 the subcontinent side as a precautionary measure because of soreness in his side.
He labeled it as a "small issue and confirmed that he'll feature in the state-level matches, so will be "well-prepared to be ready to bowl."
"Considerable effort has gone into developing the strategy for him to be available for the initial game as an batting and bowling option," the selector detailed.
"His involvement was limited to the first two ODIs anyway. How he handles the bat in limited-overs, if it causes any delay for a short period, we just made the decision to take a cautious route."
Fixture Details
Australia vs England: The Ashes
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
