The Australian skipper has secured over 300 dismissals in 71 appearances with an average of 22.10.
The Australian chair of selectors Bailey has stated that pace spearhead Cummins will be a central figure in this winter's historic rivalry.
Speculation had been growing that Cummins might be unavailable due to a persistent back stress problem that remained unresolved.
Previous updates from the squad suggested no official announcement had been made regarding his involvement, with the Test matches kicking off on the 21st of November in Western Australia.
He revealed that Cummins is "building up" and felt positive about the likelihood of participating.
"We're aware that time is getting short and various factors involved, aside from the physical problem, but further aspects," he commented.
"It's positive. There's strong faith that he'll participate in a key capacity. Ideally from the opening match. Otherwise, we'll reassess."
Past Concerns
The captain missed Australia's limited-overs series against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals last month after scans revealed a lumbar bone stress.
He has a history of recurring issues, with recurrences in several earlier campaigns forcing him out of multiple domestic campaigns in four years.
He emphasized he would be proactive in his approach in his recovery plan to ensure his availability for the contest.
The selector indicated that it was unclear if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his comeback but acknowledged it was "getting tight" for him to recover fully for the initial match.
Backup Options
In case of absence, veteran batsman Smith will take over the captaincy.
The talented all-rounder was excluded lately from Australia's squad for their ODI contests against the subcontinent side as a safety move because of discomfort in his torso.
He labeled it as a "small issue and mentioned that he's scheduled to appear in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "ideally positioned to resume bowling."
"Considerable effort has gone into developing the strategy for him to take part for the first Test as an batting and bowling option," the selector detailed.
"He was only going to play the starting games anyway. His aggressive style the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, even if it just sets him back for a short period, we opted to adopt a safer strategy."
Match Calendar
Australia vs England: The Ashes
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
