The Australian skipper has taken over 300 dismissals in 71 appearances with an impressive average.
Australia's selection chief George Bailey has confirmed that captain Pat Cummins will play a "major part" in this winter's Ashes series.
Rumors had circulated that Cummins might be unavailable due to a stress fracture in his back that was still troubling him.
Initial reports from the Australian camp suggested no definitive call had been made regarding whether he would play, with the extended contest kicking off on November 21 in Perth.
He revealed that Cummins is "building up" and was "optimistic" about his chances of taking part.
"It's clear that the window is narrowing and various factors involved, not just the physical problem, but further aspects," the selector added.
"The outlook is good. We firmly believe that he'll participate in a key capacity. Hopefully starting in Perth. Should that not happen, we'll adjust."
Previous Setbacks
Cummins was ruled out the white-ball matches against New Zealand and India recently after examinations confirmed a lower back issue.
Previous incidents include of spinal problems, with setbacks in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 forcing him out of three Australian summers in four years.
He emphasized he would be proactive in his approach in his recovery plan to make the squad for the Ashes.
He mentioned that it was unclear if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his comeback but acknowledged it was "pressing" for him to be fit for the initial match.
Alternative Arrangements
Should Cummins not be fit, former captain Steve Smith will lead the side.
The talented all-rounder was withdrawn recently from the ODI lineup for their ODI contests against the Asian giants as a preventive step because of discomfort in his torso.
Bailey described it as a "minor" injury and confirmed that he'll feature in the state-level matches, so will be "ideally positioned to deliver overs."
"Considerable effort has gone into developing the strategy for him to be available for the initial game as an all-rounder," the selector detailed.
"His involvement was limited to the initial matches anyway. The way he swings the bat in limited-overs, should it hinder progress for 24 more hours, we opted to take a cautious route."
Match Calendar
Australia vs England: The Ashes
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
