The Australian skipper has taken 309 wickets in 71 Test matches with an stellar bowling average.
Australia's selection chief George Bailey has confirmed that captain Pat Cummins will be a central figure in the upcoming England-Australia contest.
There were concerns that Cummins might be unavailable due to a stress fracture in his back that remained unresolved.
Initial reports from team management suggested no final decision had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the extended contest scheduled to begin on November 21 in the WACA.
Bailey expressed that his recovery is on track and remained hopeful about the prospects of being involved.
"It's clear that the window is narrowing and multiple considerations at play, aside from his injury, but additional elements," he commented.
"It's positive. [We are] really confident that he will feature a major part. Ideally it's the first Test. If not, then we'll pick it up."
Previous Setbacks
He was sidelined the white-ball matches against New Zealand and India in the previous weeks after examinations confirmed a lower back issue.
There is a track record of recurring issues, with flare-ups in several earlier campaigns leading to absences from multiple domestic campaigns in a limited period.
The bowler mentioned he would be proactive in his approach in his rehabilitation process to ensure his availability for the Ashes.
He mentioned that it was unclear if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his recovery but conceded it was "getting tight" for him to recover fully for the first Test.
Alternative Arrangements
In case of absence, ex-skipper Smith will assume leadership.
The talented all-rounder was withdrawn recently from the national team for their one-day international series against the Asian giants as a safety move because of an abdominal issue.
The selector characterized it as a "slight concern and confirmed that Green will play in the state-level matches, so will be "well-prepared to deliver overs."
"Considerable effort has gone into developing the strategy for him to participate for the first Test as an dual-role player," he elaborated.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the initial matches regardless. The way he swings the willow in shorter formats, should it hinder progress for 24 more hours, we opted to approach this more conservatively."
Series Schedule
Australia vs England: The Ashes
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
