The Australian skipper has taken 309 Test scalps in 71 five-day games with an average of 22.10.
The Australian chair of selectors the selector has stated that skipper Cummins will be a central figure in this winter's historic rivalry.
Speculation had been growing that the 32-year-old might miss the series due to a stress fracture in his back that remained unresolved.
Initial reports from the squad suggested no official announcement had been made regarding whether he would play, with the five-Test series scheduled to begin on 21 November in Perth.
He revealed that the captain is progressing and felt positive about the likelihood of participating.
"It's clear that the window is narrowing and various factors around that, not only his injury, but other factors as well," the selector added.
"We're encouraged. We firmly believe that he's going to play a major part. Hopefully it's the first Test. Otherwise, we'll adjust."
Past Concerns
Cummins was ruled out Australia's limited-overs series against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals in the previous weeks after medical tests showed a lumbar bone stress.
He has a history of spinal problems, with flare-ups in multiple past seasons forcing him out of three Australian summers in a limited period.
The bowler mentioned he would be proactive in his approach in his rehabilitation process to make the squad for the Ashes.
He mentioned that it was unclear if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his comeback but admitted it was "becoming urgent" for him to regain fitness for the first Test.
Alternative Arrangements
If he's unavailable, veteran batsman Smith will assume leadership.
The talented all-rounder was recently pulled out from the ODI lineup for their one-day international series against the subcontinent side as a preventive step because of an abdominal issue.
The selector characterized it as a "small issue and mentioned that he'll feature in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "ideally positioned to deliver overs."
"Considerable effort has gone into developing the strategy for him to be available for the opening match as an all-rounder," the selector detailed.
"His involvement was limited to the first two ODIs in any case. His aggressive style the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, should it hinder progress for a short period, we just made the decision to adopt a safer strategy."
Match Calendar
Australia vs England: The Ashes
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
