The pace bowler has claimed 309 Test scalps in 71 five-day games with an average of 22.10.
The Australian selection chief Bailey has confirmed that captain Pat Cummins will play a "major part" in the forthcoming England-Australia contest.
There were concerns that the veteran bowler might sit out due to a stress fracture in his back that had not yet healed.
Earlier indications from the squad suggested no definitive call had been made regarding his involvement, with the five-Test series set to start on 21 November in Western Australia.
He revealed that the captain is progressing and was "optimistic" about his chances of participating.
"It's clear that the clock is ticking and various factors around that, aside from his injury, but other factors as well," he commented.
"We're encouraged. We firmly believe that he will feature a key capacity. With luck starting in Perth. Should that not happen, we'll reassess."
Previous Setbacks
The captain missed Australia's limited-overs series against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals in the previous weeks after scans revealed a lower back issue.
He has a history of back injuries, with recurrences in several earlier campaigns causing him to miss three Australian summers in a short span.
He emphasized he would be proactive in his approach in his rehabilitation process to ensure his availability for the Ashes.
He mentioned that there was no confirmation if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his rehabilitation but conceded it was "getting tight" for him to recover fully for the initial match.
Contingency Plans
If he's unavailable, ex-skipper Smith will assume leadership.
The talented all-rounder was recently pulled out from the ODI lineup for their one-day international series against the subcontinent side as a safety move because of an abdominal issue.
The selector characterized it as a "minor" injury and stated that Green will play in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "in a good place to be ready to bowl."
"We put so much time has gone into developing the strategy for him to participate for the first Test as an all-rounder," he elaborated.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the first two ODIs regardless. How he handles the bat in limited-overs, should it hinder progress for a short period, we just made the decision to take a cautious route."
Fixture Details
The Ashes: Australia v England
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
