The Australian skipper has secured 309 wickets in 71 five-day games with an average of 22.10.
The Australian selection chief George Bailey has stated that skipper Cummins will have a crucial role in the forthcoming historic rivalry.
There were concerns that the veteran bowler might miss the series due to a ongoing back issue that was still troubling him.
Initial reports from the Australian camp suggested no final decision had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the extended contest set to start on November 21 in the WACA.
He revealed that his recovery is on track and felt positive about the prospects of being involved.
"We're aware that the clock is ticking and multiple considerations at play, not only the back issue, but further aspects," the selector added.
"We're encouraged. We firmly believe that he's going to play a significant role. Ideally starting in Perth. Otherwise, we'll reassess."
Past Concerns
Cummins was ruled out the ODI and T20 games against India and New Zealand in the previous weeks after examinations confirmed a stress reaction in his back.
He has a history of spinal problems, with setbacks 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 make the squad for the Ashes.
He mentioned that he did not know if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his rehabilitation but conceded it was "pressing" for him to regain fitness for the opener.
Backup Options
In case of absence, ex-skipper Smith will assume leadership.
The talented all-rounder was excluded lately from Australia's squad for their one-day international series 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 domestic first-class competition, so will be "ideally positioned to be ready to bowl."
"We put so much time has gone into developing the strategy for him to take part for the first Test as an dual-role player," he elaborated.
"He was only going to play the starting games in any case. The way he swings the willow in shorter formats, even if it just sets him back for 24 more hours, we just made the decision to adopt a safer strategy."
Match Calendar
The Historic Rivalry
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
