The pace bowler has taken 309 wickets in 71 appearances with an impressive average.
Australia's chair of selectors the selector has confirmed that pace spearhead Cummins will be a central figure in the forthcoming historic rivalry.
Speculation had been growing that the 32-year-old might be unavailable due to a ongoing back issue that remained unresolved.
Earlier indications from team management suggested no definitive call had been made regarding whether he would play, with the five-Test series set to start on the 21st of November in Perth.
The selector shared that Cummins is "building up" and felt positive about the prospects of participating.
"We know that time is getting short and various factors involved, aside from the physical problem, but additional elements," the selector added.
"We're encouraged. We firmly believe that he's going to play a significant role. Ideally it's the first Test. Should that not happen, then we'll pick it up."
Injury History
He was sidelined the white-ball matches against New Zealand and India recently after medical tests showed a lumbar bone stress.
Previous incidents include of spinal problems, with flare-ups in several earlier campaigns causing him to miss three Australian summers in a limited period.
Cummins stated he would be proactive in his approach in his comeback strategy to make the squad for the Ashes.
Bailey noted that there was no confirmation 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 initial match.
Contingency Plans
Should Cummins not be fit, veteran batsman Smith will assume leadership.
Versatile player Green was excluded lately from the ODI lineup for their limited-overs matches against the Asian giants as a precautionary measure because of soreness in his side.
Bailey described it as a "minor" injury and confirmed that he's scheduled to appear in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "ideally positioned to deliver overs."
"Extensive planning has gone into building out the plan for him to be available for the opening match as an batting and bowling option," Bailey explained.
"He was only going to play the first two ODIs anyway. The way he swings the bat in limited-overs, even if it just sets him back for a short period, we opted to approach this more conservatively."
Fixture Details
Australia vs England: The Ashes
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
