The pace bowler has taken over 300 dismissals in 71 five-day games with an average of 22.10.
Australia's selection chief the selector has confirmed that pace spearhead Cummins will play a "major part" in this winter's England-Australia contest.
Speculation had been growing that the 32-year-old might sit out due to a persistent back stress problem that remained unresolved.
Earlier indications from team management suggested no official announcement had been made regarding whether he would play, with the extended contest scheduled to begin on November 21 in Western Australia.
He revealed that his recovery is on track and was "optimistic" about the prospects of taking part.
"It's clear that the window is narrowing and multiple considerations at play, not just the physical problem, but further aspects," he commented.
"It's positive. [We are] really confident that he'll participate in a key capacity. Ideally from the opening match. If not, then we'll pick it up."
Injury History
The captain missed the ODI and T20 games against New Zealand and India in the previous weeks after medical tests showed a lumbar bone stress.
He has a history of spinal problems, with flare-ups in several earlier campaigns leading to absences from multiple domestic campaigns in a short span.
Cummins stated he would be proactive in his approach in his comeback strategy to secure his spot for the Ashes.
He mentioned that it was unclear if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his comeback but acknowledged it was "pressing" for him to regain fitness for the opener.
Backup Options
Should Cummins not be fit, veteran batsman Smith will lead the side.
The talented all-rounder was withdrawn recently from the national team for their limited-overs matches against India as a preventive step because of soreness in his side.
The selector characterized it as a "minor" injury and mentioned that he's scheduled to appear in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "ideally positioned to resume bowling."
"We put so much time has gone into creating the schedule for him to be available for the initial game as an all-rounder," he elaborated.
"He was only going to play the starting games in any case. His aggressive style the bat in limited-overs, even if it just sets him back for 24 more hours, we opted to take a cautious route."
Series Schedule
The Historic Rivalry
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
