The pace bowler has taken 309 Test scalps in 71 appearances with an impressive average.
Australia's chair of selectors the selector has stated that captain Pat Cummins will have a crucial role in the forthcoming England-Australia contest.
There were concerns that Cummins might miss the series due to a persistent back stress problem that was still troubling him.
Previous updates from team management suggested no final decision had been made regarding his involvement, with the extended contest scheduled to begin on the 21st of November in the WACA.
Bailey expressed that Cummins is "building up" and was "optimistic" about the likelihood of being involved.
"We're aware that time is getting short and there are permutations involved, not just the physical problem, but additional elements," he commented.
"It's positive. There's strong faith that he'll participate in a key capacity. Hopefully from the opening match. Otherwise, then we'll pick it up."
Previous Setbacks
He was sidelined the ODI and T20 games against New Zealand and India recently after medical tests showed a lumbar bone stress.
Previous incidents include of spinal problems, with flare-ups in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 leading to absences from multiple domestic campaigns in a short span.
The bowler mentioned he would be bold in recovery efforts in his recovery plan to secure his spot for the contest.
He mentioned 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 opener.
Backup Options
Should Cummins not be fit, veteran batsman Smith will take over the captaincy.
The talented all-rounder was withdrawn recently from the national team for their one-day international series against India as a precautionary measure because of an abdominal issue.
The selector characterized it as a "slight concern and stated that Green will play in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "well-prepared to be ready to bowl."
"Considerable effort has gone into developing the strategy for him to be available for the first Test as an dual-role player," the selector detailed.
"He was only going to play the starting games regardless. His aggressive style the willow in shorter formats, if it causes any delay for a short period, the choice was made to approach this more conservatively."
Match Calendar
The Ashes: Australia v England
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
