The pace bowler has taken over 300 dismissals in 71 appearances with an impressive average.
Australia's chief selector George Bailey has declared that captain Pat Cummins will be a central figure in this winter's Ashes series.
Rumors had circulated that the veteran bowler might miss the series due to a persistent back stress problem that remained unresolved.
Initial reports from team management suggested no final decision had been made regarding his involvement, with the Test matches set to start on 21 November in Perth.
The selector shared that his recovery is on track and remained hopeful about his chances of participating.
"We're aware that time is getting short and various factors around that, not just the back issue, but further aspects," he commented.
"The outlook is good. There's strong faith that he will feature a major part. Hopefully from the opening match. Otherwise, then we'll pick it up."
Past Concerns
He was sidelined Australia's limited-overs series against India and New Zealand last month after scans revealed a lower back issue.
He has a history of back injuries, with setbacks in multiple past seasons causing him to miss multiple domestic campaigns in four years.
He emphasized he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his recovery plan to secure his spot for the contest.
Bailey noted that there was no confirmation if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his recovery but conceded it was "pressing" for him to recover fully for the first Test.
Alternative Arrangements
In case of absence, ex-skipper Smith will take over the captaincy.
Versatile player Green was recently pulled out from the ODI lineup for their ODI contests against India as a preventive step because of an abdominal issue.
He labeled it as a "small issue and stated that Green will play in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "ideally positioned to deliver overs."
"Considerable effort has gone into developing the strategy for him to take part for the opening match as an batting and bowling option," the selector detailed.
"He was only going to play the starting games anyway. His aggressive style the willow in shorter formats, even if it just sets him back for a short period, the choice was made to approach this more conservatively."
Match Calendar
The Ashes: Australia v England
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
