The Australian skipper has taken 309 wickets in 71 five-day games with an stellar bowling average.
Australia's chair of selectors the selector has declared that pace spearhead Cummins will be a central figure in this winter's Ashes series.
Speculation had been growing that Cummins might be unavailable due to a ongoing back issue that had not yet healed.
Previous updates from the squad 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 the captain is progressing and was "optimistic" about the likelihood of taking part.
"It's clear that the clock is ticking and various factors at play, not just the physical problem, but other factors as well," the selector added.
"We're encouraged. [We are] really confident that he's going to play a key capacity. Hopefully it's the first Test. Otherwise, we'll reassess."
Injury History
Cummins was ruled out the white-ball matches against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals in the previous weeks after scans revealed a lumbar bone stress.
Previous incidents include of back injuries, with recurrences in several earlier campaigns forcing him out of multiple domestic campaigns in a limited period.
Cummins stated he would be proactive in his approach in his comeback strategy to make the squad for the contest.
He mentioned that it was unclear if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his recovery but acknowledged it was "becoming urgent" for him to regain fitness for the first Test.
Backup Options
In case of absence, former captain Steve Smith will take over the captaincy.
Versatile player Green was recently pulled out from the ODI lineup for their one-day international series against the subcontinent side as a safety move because of soreness in his side.
Bailey described it as a "small issue and confirmed that he'll feature in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "well-prepared to be ready to bowl."
"We put so much time has gone into developing the strategy for him to take part for the opening match as an batting and bowling option," he elaborated.
"His involvement was limited to the first two ODIs regardless. The way he swings the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, even if it just sets him back for another day, the choice was made to approach this more conservatively."
Series Schedule
The Ashes: Australia v England
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
