The Australian skipper has secured 309 Test scalps in 71 appearances with an average of 22.10.
The Australian chair of selectors George Bailey has declared that pace spearhead Cummins will be a central figure in this winter's Ashes series.
Speculation had been growing that the 32-year-old might sit out due to a ongoing back issue that had not yet healed.
Previous updates from team management suggested no final decision had been made regarding his involvement, with the five-Test series kicking off on November 21 in the WACA.
The selector shared that the captain is progressing and was "optimistic" about his chances of taking part.
"We know that time is getting short and various factors involved, not just the physical problem, but further aspects," Bailey remarked.
"It's positive. There's strong faith that he will feature a key capacity. With luck from the opening match. Should that not happen, we'll adjust."
Injury History
The captain missed Australia's limited-overs series against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals recently after examinations confirmed a lumbar bone stress.
There is a track record of back injuries, with recurrences in multiple past seasons forcing him out of three Australian summers in a short span.
Cummins stated he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his comeback strategy to make the squad for the contest.
He mentioned that there was no confirmation if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his recovery but conceded it was "getting tight" for him to be fit for the initial match.
Alternative Arrangements
In case of absence, ex-skipper Smith will take over the captaincy.
All-rounder Cameron Green was excluded lately from Australia's squad for their limited-overs matches against the subcontinent side as a safety move because of discomfort in his torso.
The selector characterized it as a "slight concern and stated that he's scheduled to appear in the state-level matches, so will be "ideally positioned to be ready to bowl."
"Extensive planning has gone into creating the schedule for him to participate for the opening match as an dual-role player," he elaborated.
"His involvement was limited to the first two ODIs regardless. The way he swings the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, if it causes any delay for a short period, the choice was made to approach this more conservatively."
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