The pace bowler has taken over 300 dismissals in 71 appearances with an impressive average.
The Australian selection chief George Bailey has stated that skipper Cummins will be a central figure in the forthcoming Ashes series.
Rumors had circulated that the 32-year-old might be unavailable due to a ongoing back issue that remained unresolved.
Previous updates from team management suggested no final decision had been made regarding whether he would play, with the five-Test series set to start on 21 November in Perth.
Bailey expressed that his recovery is on track and was "optimistic" about the likelihood of taking part.
"We know that time is getting short and there are permutations involved, aside from his injury, but additional elements," Bailey remarked.
"The outlook is good. [We are] really confident that he'll participate in a major part. Ideally it's the first Test. If not, we'll reassess."
Previous Setbacks
He was sidelined Australia's limited-overs series against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals last month after examinations confirmed a lower back issue.
He has a history of spinal problems, with recurrences in several earlier campaigns leading to absences from three Australian summers in a short span.
The bowler mentioned he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his recovery plan to make the squad for the series.
The selector indicated that he did not know if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his recovery but acknowledged it was "getting tight" for him to be fit for the opener.
Backup Options
If he's unavailable, veteran batsman Smith will lead the side.
All-rounder Cameron Green was recently pulled out from the national team for their ODI contests against the Asian giants as a precautionary measure because of soreness in his side.
Bailey described it as a "slight concern and confirmed that he'll feature in the state-level matches, so will be "ideally positioned to be ready to bowl."
"We put so much time has gone into creating the schedule for him to be available for the first Test as an dual-role player," Bailey explained.
"He was only going to play the initial matches in any case. His aggressive style the willow in shorter formats, should it hinder progress for 24 more hours, we opted to approach this more conservatively."
Series Schedule
The Ashes: Australia v England
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
