The Australian skipper has secured 309 wickets in 71 appearances with an stellar bowling average.
The Australian selection chief George Bailey has confirmed that pace spearhead Cummins will play a "major part" in this winter's historic rivalry.
There were concerns that Cummins might miss the series due to a persistent back stress problem that was still troubling him.
Earlier indications from team management suggested no official announcement had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the extended contest kicking off on 21 November in the WACA.
He revealed that Cummins is "building up" and felt positive about his chances of taking part.
"It's clear that the clock is ticking and various factors involved, not just the physical problem, but other factors as well," Bailey remarked.
"It's positive. [We are] really confident that he'll participate in a major part. Ideally from the opening match. Otherwise, we'll reassess."
Previous Setbacks
Cummins was ruled out the white-ball matches against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals recently after examinations confirmed a lower back issue.
He has a history of back injuries, with flare-ups in multiple past seasons forcing him out of several home seasons in a limited period.
He emphasized he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his comeback strategy to make the squad for the contest.
The selector indicated that it was unclear if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his recovery but conceded it was "getting tight" for him to regain fitness for the opener.
Backup Options
Should Cummins not be fit, ex-skipper Smith will lead the side.
The talented all-rounder was recently pulled out from the ODI lineup for their ODI contests against India as a precautionary measure because of discomfort in his torso.
He labeled it as a "minor" injury and stated that he'll feature in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "well-prepared to be ready to bowl."
"Extensive planning has gone into creating the schedule for him to be available for the opening match as an dual-role player," Bailey explained.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the starting games in any case. How he handles the willow in shorter formats, if it causes any delay for a short period, the choice was made to take a cautious route."
Fixture Details
The Ashes: Australia v England
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
