The Australian skipper has secured 309 Test scalps in 71 Test matches with an average of 22.10.
The Australian chair of selectors the selector has stated that captain Pat Cummins will play a "major part" in the upcoming England-Australia contest.
Speculation had been growing that the veteran bowler might miss the series due to a stress fracture in his back that remained unresolved.
Previous updates from the squad suggested no final decision had been made regarding his involvement, with the five-Test series scheduled to begin on 21 November in Western Australia.
He revealed that Cummins is "building up" and remained hopeful about the likelihood of participating.
"We're aware that the window is narrowing and multiple considerations around that, not just the back issue, but additional elements," the selector added.
"We're encouraged. [We are] really confident that he's going to play a significant role. Ideally it's the first Test. Otherwise, then we'll pick it up."
Previous Setbacks
The captain missed Australia's limited-overs series against India and New Zealand last month after examinations confirmed a lumbar bone stress.
He has a history of spinal problems, with recurrences in multiple past seasons leading to absences from three Australian summers in four years.
Cummins stated he would be bold in recovery efforts in his comeback strategy to make the squad for the contest.
He mentioned that there was no confirmation if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his recovery but admitted it was "pressing" for him to recover fully for the opener.
Alternative Arrangements
Should Cummins not be fit, former captain Steve Smith will lead the side.
Versatile player Green was excluded lately from the national team for their limited-overs matches against the Asian giants as a safety move because of soreness in his side.
Bailey described it as a "small issue and mentioned that Green will play in the state-level matches, so will be "ideally positioned to deliver overs."
"We put so much time has gone into developing the strategy for him to participate for the first Test as an dual-role player," the selector detailed.
"His involvement was limited to the first two ODIs anyway. The way he swings the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, even if it just sets him back for another day, we just made the decision to take a cautious route."
Match Calendar
The Ashes: Australia v England
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
