The pace bowler has taken over 300 dismissals in 71 Test matches with an average of 22.10.
The Australian chief selector the selector has stated that captain Pat Cummins will play a "major part" in the upcoming England-Australia contest.
Speculation had been growing that the 32-year-old might be unavailable due to a stress fracture in his back that remained unresolved.
Previous updates from the squad suggested no definitive call had been made regarding whether he would play, with the extended contest scheduled to begin on the 21st of November in Western Australia.
Bailey expressed that the captain is progressing and was "optimistic" about his chances of being involved.
"It's clear that time is getting short and multiple considerations involved, aside from his injury, but additional elements," he commented.
"We're encouraged. There's strong faith that he'll participate in a key capacity. Hopefully from the opening match. If not, we'll adjust."
Previous Setbacks
Cummins was ruled out the ODI and T20 games against New Zealand and India recently after scans revealed a lower back issue.
There is a track record of recurring issues, with setbacks in multiple past seasons leading to absences from several home seasons in a short span.
The bowler mentioned he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his rehabilitation process to ensure his availability for the contest.
The selector indicated that he did not know if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his rehabilitation but conceded it was "getting tight" for him to recover fully for the first Test.
Alternative Arrangements
If he's unavailable, ex-skipper Smith will lead the side.
Versatile player Green was excluded lately from Australia's squad for their ODI contests against the Asian giants as a precautionary measure because of soreness in his side.
He labeled it as a "slight concern and mentioned that Green will play in the state-level matches, so will be "ideally positioned to deliver overs."
"Extensive planning has gone into developing the strategy for him to take part for the initial game as an dual-role player," the selector detailed.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the starting games in any case. The way he swings the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, should it hinder progress for 24 more hours, the choice was made to approach this more conservatively."
Fixture Details
Australia vs England: The Ashes
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
