The Australian skipper has taken 309 wickets in 71 appearances with an average of 22.10.
Australia's chief selector George Bailey has confirmed that pace spearhead Cummins will play a "major part" in the forthcoming England-Australia contest.
Rumors had circulated that Cummins might miss the series due to a stress fracture in his back that had not yet healed.
Initial reports from team management suggested no definitive call had been made regarding his involvement, with the extended contest set to start on November 21 in Western Australia.
Bailey expressed that his recovery is on track and felt positive about his chances of being involved.
"We know that the window is narrowing and various factors at play, not just the back issue, but other factors as well," he commented.
"The outlook is good. There's strong faith that he'll participate in a key capacity. Ideally starting in Perth. Should that not happen, we'll adjust."
Past Concerns
The captain missed the white-ball matches against India and New Zealand last month after scans revealed a lumbar bone stress.
Previous incidents include of back injuries, with setbacks in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 causing him to miss three Australian summers in four years.
The bowler mentioned he would be bold in recovery efforts in his comeback strategy to ensure his availability for the Ashes.
Bailey noted that there was no confirmation if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his recovery but conceded it was "getting tight" for him to regain fitness for the initial match.
Alternative Arrangements
Should Cummins not be fit, veteran batsman Smith will lead the side.
All-rounder Cameron Green was excluded lately from the ODI lineup for their limited-overs matches against the Asian giants as a precautionary measure because of soreness in his side.
Bailey described it as a "minor" injury and mentioned that he's scheduled to appear in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "well-prepared to resume bowling."
"Considerable effort has gone into developing the strategy for him to take part for the first Test as an dual-role player," the selector detailed.
"His involvement was limited to the initial matches regardless. The way he swings the willow in shorter formats, should it hinder progress for 24 more hours, the choice was made to approach this more conservatively."
Fixture Details
The Ashes: Australia v England
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
