Pat Cummins has claimed over 300 dismissals in 71 five-day games with an stellar bowling average.
Australia's chief selector George Bailey has confirmed that pace spearhead Cummins will play a "major part" in the forthcoming historic rivalry.
Speculation had been growing that the veteran bowler might miss the series due to a stress fracture in his back that had not yet healed.
Initial reports from the Australian camp suggested no final decision had been made regarding his involvement, with the five-Test series scheduled to begin on November 21 in Western Australia.
Bailey expressed that the captain is progressing and remained hopeful about the likelihood of taking part.
"We're aware that the window is narrowing and multiple considerations involved, not only his injury, but other factors as well," Bailey remarked.
"It's positive. [We are] really confident that he's going to play a key capacity. Ideally starting in Perth. If not, we'll reassess."
Previous Setbacks
He was sidelined the white-ball matches against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals last month after medical tests showed a stress reaction in his back.
Previous incidents include of recurring issues, with flare-ups in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 causing him to miss several home seasons in four years.
Cummins stated he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his comeback strategy to make the squad for the contest.
He mentioned that it was unclear if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his rehabilitation but conceded it was "getting tight" for him to regain fitness for the initial match.
Alternative Arrangements
Should Cummins not be fit, former captain Steve Smith will assume leadership.
The talented all-rounder was withdrawn recently from the national team for their ODI contests against the subcontinent side as a precautionary measure because of an abdominal issue.
Bailey described it as a "slight concern and confirmed that he's scheduled to appear in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "in a good place to be ready to bowl."
"Considerable effort has gone into building out the plan for him to take part for the first Test as an all-rounder," Bailey explained.
"He was only going to play the first two ODIs in any case. How he handles the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, if it causes any delay for a short period, the choice was made to adopt a safer strategy."
Fixture Details
Australia vs England: The Ashes
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
