The pace bowler has taken over 300 dismissals in 71 five-day games with an average of 22.10.
Australia's chief selector George Bailey has stated that pace spearhead Cummins will be a central figure in the upcoming England-Australia contest.
Rumors had circulated that the veteran bowler might be unavailable due to a persistent back stress problem that remained unresolved.
Previous updates from the squad suggested no official announcement had been made regarding whether he would play, with the Test matches scheduled to begin on 21 November in Perth.
The selector shared that Cummins is "building up" and remained hopeful about the prospects of taking part.
"We're aware that time is getting short and multiple considerations involved, not just his injury, but other factors as well," Bailey remarked.
"We're encouraged. We firmly believe that he will feature a key capacity. Ideally it's the first Test. Otherwise, we'll adjust."
Injury History
The captain missed the ODI and T20 games against New Zealand and India recently after medical tests showed a stress reaction in his back.
He has a history of recurring issues, with setbacks in multiple past seasons causing him to miss three Australian summers in four years.
The bowler mentioned he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his rehabilitation process to secure his spot for the series.
The selector indicated that it was unclear if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his recovery but admitted it was "getting tight" for him to be fit for the opener.
Backup Options
In case of absence, veteran batsman Smith will assume leadership.
The talented all-rounder was withdrawn recently from the ODI lineup for their one-day international series against India as a preventive step because of an abdominal issue.
Bailey described it as a "slight concern and stated that he's scheduled to appear in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "well-prepared to deliver overs."
"We put so much time has gone into creating the schedule for him to take part for the opening match as an batting and bowling option," Bailey explained.
"His involvement was limited to the starting games regardless. His aggressive style the bat in limited-overs, even if it just sets him back for another day, the choice was made to approach this more conservatively."
Match Calendar
The Historic Rivalry
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
