The pace bowler has secured 309 Test scalps in 71 appearances with an average of 22.10.
Australia's chief selector George Bailey has confirmed that pace spearhead Cummins will play a "major part" in the upcoming historic rivalry.
Speculation had been growing that the veteran bowler might miss the series due to a ongoing back issue that had not yet healed.
Initial reports from team management suggested no definitive call had been made regarding whether he would play, with the Test matches scheduled to begin on November 21 in Western Australia.
The selector shared that the captain is progressing and felt positive about the likelihood of participating.
"It's clear that the clock is ticking and various factors around that, not only the back issue, but further aspects," the selector added.
"It's positive. There's strong faith that he will feature a key capacity. Ideally it's the first Test. Should that not happen, then we'll pick it up."
Past Concerns
The captain missed the white-ball matches against New Zealand and India last month after medical tests showed a lumbar bone stress.
There is a track record of recurring issues, with flare-ups in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 leading to absences from three Australian summers in a limited period.
He emphasized he would be proactive in his approach in his comeback strategy to secure his spot for the series.
He mentioned that there was no confirmation if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his rehabilitation but admitted it was "becoming urgent" for him to be fit for the opener.
Alternative Arrangements
If he's unavailable, former captain Steve Smith will lead the side.
The talented all-rounder was withdrawn recently from the ODI lineup for their one-day international series against the Asian giants as a safety move because of soreness in his side.
He labeled it as a "slight concern and mentioned that he'll feature in the state-level matches, so will be "ideally positioned to deliver overs."
"Extensive planning has gone into developing the strategy for him to take part for the opening match as an dual-role player," he elaborated.
"His involvement was limited to the initial matches regardless. How he handles the willow in shorter formats, if it causes any delay for another day, we opted to adopt a safer strategy."
Series Schedule
The Ashes: Australia v England
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
