The pace bowler has claimed 309 wickets in 71 five-day games with an impressive average.
The Australian selection chief George Bailey has stated that skipper Cummins will have a crucial role in the upcoming England-Australia contest.
There were concerns that Cummins might sit out due to a persistent back stress problem that was still troubling him.
Previous updates from the Australian camp suggested no official announcement had been made regarding his involvement, with the extended contest scheduled to begin on 21 November in the WACA.
He revealed that Cummins is "building up" and was "optimistic" about his chances of being involved.
"We know that the window is narrowing and multiple considerations involved, not only his injury, but other factors as well," the selector added.
"It's positive. We firmly believe that he will feature a significant role. Hopefully from the opening match. Otherwise, then we'll pick it up."
Previous Setbacks
Cummins was ruled out the white-ball matches against India and New Zealand in the previous weeks after scans revealed a stress reaction in his back.
Previous incidents include of recurring issues, with flare-ups in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 leading to absences from multiple domestic campaigns in a limited period.
The bowler mentioned he would be proactive in his approach in his rehabilitation process to make the squad for the Ashes.
The selector indicated that he did not know if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his rehabilitation but conceded it was "becoming urgent" for him to be fit for the initial match.
Contingency Plans
If he's unavailable, ex-skipper Smith will lead the side.
All-rounder Cameron Green was excluded lately from Australia's squad for their limited-overs matches against the Asian giants as a preventive step because of soreness in his side.
Bailey described it as a "minor" injury and stated that he's scheduled to appear in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "well-prepared to deliver overs."
"Extensive planning has gone into creating the schedule for him to take part for the initial game as an all-rounder," the selector detailed.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the first two ODIs regardless. How he handles the willow in shorter formats, if it causes any delay for another day, we just made the decision to adopt a safer strategy."
Series Schedule
The Historic Rivalry
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
