The Australian skipper has claimed 309 wickets in 71 five-day games with an average of 22.10.
Australia's chief selector the selector has declared that pace spearhead Cummins will play a "major part" in this winter's England-Australia contest.
Speculation had been growing that the 32-year-old might sit out due to a ongoing back issue that had not yet healed.
Initial reports from team management suggested no definitive call had been made regarding his involvement, with the extended contest kicking off on November 21 in Perth.
He revealed that the captain is progressing and was "optimistic" about the likelihood of taking part.
"We're aware that the clock is ticking and there are permutations at play, not just the back issue, but further aspects," the selector added.
"The outlook is good. We firmly believe that he will feature a key capacity. Ideally from the opening match. If not, we'll adjust."
Past Concerns
The captain missed Australia's limited-overs series against New Zealand and India recently after medical tests showed a lower back issue.
He has a history of recurring issues, with setbacks in multiple past seasons forcing him out of several home seasons in a limited period.
He emphasized he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his comeback strategy to ensure his availability for the contest.
He mentioned that it was unclear if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his rehabilitation but acknowledged it was "getting tight" for him to regain fitness for the first Test.
Contingency Plans
Should Cummins not be fit, ex-skipper Smith will lead the side.
Versatile player Green was excluded lately from Australia's squad for their one-day international series against India as a safety move because of discomfort in his torso.
Bailey described it as a "slight concern and confirmed that Green will play in the state-level matches, so will be "in a good place to be ready to bowl."
"We put so much time has gone into developing the strategy for him to be available for the opening match as an dual-role player," the selector detailed.
"His involvement was limited to the first two ODIs in any case. His aggressive style the bat in limited-overs, even if it just sets him back for another day, we opted to approach this more conservatively."
Match Calendar
Australia vs England: The Ashes
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
