The pace bowler has secured 309 wickets in 71 Test matches with an stellar bowling average.
The Australian selection chief George Bailey has confirmed that captain Pat Cummins will be a central figure in this winter's England-Australia contest.
Speculation had been growing that the veteran bowler might be unavailable due to a ongoing back issue that remained unresolved.
Initial reports from team management suggested no final decision had been made regarding whether he would play, with the extended contest kicking off on November 21 in Perth.
Bailey expressed that Cummins is "building up" and felt positive about his chances of participating.
"We know that the clock is ticking and various factors at play, aside from his injury, but further aspects," he commented.
"The outlook is good. We firmly believe that he'll participate in a major part. With luck from the opening match. Otherwise, we'll adjust."
Injury History
He was sidelined the white-ball matches against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals last month after scans revealed a lumbar bone stress.
Previous incidents include of spinal problems, with flare-ups in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 forcing him out of multiple domestic campaigns in four years.
He emphasized he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his rehabilitation process to ensure his availability for the Ashes.
Bailey noted that it was unclear if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his comeback but conceded it was "getting tight" for him to be fit for the first Test.
Backup Options
Should Cummins not be fit, former captain Steve Smith will take over the captaincy.
The talented all-rounder was recently pulled out from Australia's squad for their ODI contests against the subcontinent side as a precautionary measure because of discomfort in his torso.
He labeled it as a "slight concern and stated that he'll feature in the state-level matches, so will be "in a good place to resume bowling."
"Extensive planning has gone into creating the schedule for him to participate for the first Test as an batting and bowling option," the selector detailed.
"His involvement was limited to the first two ODIs regardless. His aggressive style the willow in shorter formats, even if it just sets him back for another day, we just made the decision to adopt a safer strategy."
Series Schedule
Australia vs England: The Ashes
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
