The pace bowler has secured 309 wickets in 71 Test matches with an impressive average.
The Australian chief selector the selector has confirmed that captain Pat Cummins will be a central figure in the upcoming England-Australia contest.
There were concerns that Cummins might miss the series due to a ongoing back issue that was still troubling him.
Initial reports from team management suggested no official announcement had been made regarding his involvement, with the five-Test series kicking off on November 21 in the WACA.
He revealed that the captain is progressing and felt positive about the prospects of taking part.
"It's clear that time is getting short and there are permutations at play, not just the back issue, but additional elements," the selector added.
"It's positive. There's strong faith that he's going to play a major part. Ideally from the opening match. Otherwise, we'll adjust."
Previous Setbacks
Cummins was ruled out the ODI and T20 games against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals in the previous weeks after examinations confirmed a stress reaction in his back.
There is a track record of spinal problems, with recurrences in several earlier campaigns leading to absences from three Australian summers in a limited period.
He emphasized he would be proactive in his approach in his recovery plan to secure his spot for the series.
He mentioned that it was unclear if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his rehabilitation but conceded it was "becoming urgent" for him to be fit for the initial match.
Contingency Plans
If he's unavailable, veteran batsman Smith will lead the side.
Versatile player Green was withdrawn recently from the national team for their one-day international series against the subcontinent side as a safety move because of discomfort in his torso.
Bailey described it as a "small issue 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 take part for the opening match as an dual-role player," Bailey explained.
"He was only going to play the first two ODIs anyway. How he handles the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, if it causes any delay for 24 more hours, we just made the decision to take a cautious route."
Match Calendar
Australia vs England: The Ashes
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
