The Australian skipper has taken over 300 dismissals in 71 appearances with an average of 22.10.
Australia's selection chief George Bailey has declared that pace spearhead Cummins will play a "major part" in the forthcoming England-Australia contest.
Speculation had been growing that the 32-year-old might sit out due to a ongoing back issue that was still troubling him.
Earlier indications from the Australian camp suggested no definitive call had been made regarding his involvement, with the Test matches kicking off on 21 November in Perth.
Bailey expressed that his recovery is on track and felt positive about the prospects of participating.
"It's clear that the window is narrowing and various factors at play, aside from the physical problem, but other factors as well," the selector added.
"It's positive. We firmly believe that he will feature a key capacity. Hopefully starting in Perth. Should that not happen, we'll adjust."
Past Concerns
Cummins was ruled out the white-ball matches against India and New Zealand in the previous weeks after medical tests showed a lower back issue.
Previous incidents include of back injuries, with recurrences in several earlier campaigns forcing him out of three Australian summers in a short span.
He emphasized he would be bold in recovery efforts in his recovery plan to make the squad for the Ashes.
He mentioned that he did not know if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his rehabilitation but acknowledged it was "getting tight" for him to recover fully for the opener.
Contingency Plans
In case of absence, veteran batsman Smith will take over the captaincy.
All-rounder Cameron Green was recently pulled out from Australia's squad for their one-day international series against the Asian giants as a safety move because of an abdominal issue.
Bailey described it as a "minor" injury and mentioned that Green will play in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "ideally positioned to resume bowling."
"Extensive planning has gone into creating the schedule for him to be available for the initial game as an dual-role player," the selector detailed.
"He was only going to play the first two ODIs anyway. His aggressive style the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, should it hinder progress for a short period, we just made the decision to adopt a safer strategy."
Series Schedule
The Historic Rivalry
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
