The pace bowler has taken over 300 dismissals in 71 five-day games with an impressive average.
The Australian selection chief George Bailey has confirmed that captain Pat Cummins will have a crucial role in the upcoming Ashes series.
There were concerns that the 32-year-old might sit out due to a stress fracture in his back that was still troubling him.
Previous updates from the Australian camp suggested no official announcement had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the extended contest kicking off on the 21st of November in Perth.
Bailey expressed that the captain is progressing and felt positive about the prospects of being involved.
"We're aware that the window is narrowing and multiple considerations around that, not only the physical problem, but additional elements," the selector added.
"The outlook is good. We firmly believe that he'll participate in a major part. With luck it's the first Test. Should that not happen, we'll reassess."
Previous Setbacks
The captain missed the white-ball matches against India and New Zealand in the previous weeks after examinations confirmed a lower back issue.
Previous incidents include of spinal problems, with flare-ups in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 causing him to miss multiple domestic campaigns in a short span.
He emphasized he would be proactive in his approach in his rehabilitation process to secure his spot for the series.
Bailey noted that there was no confirmation if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his recovery but conceded it was "getting tight" for him to recover fully for the first Test.
Backup Options
If he's unavailable, ex-skipper Smith will lead the side.
Versatile player Green was withdrawn recently from Australia's squad for their ODI contests against the subcontinent side as a preventive step because of an abdominal issue.
Bailey described it as a "minor" injury and stated that Green will play in the state-level matches, so will be "in a good place to resume bowling."
"Considerable effort has gone into building out the plan for him to participate for the initial game as an all-rounder," he elaborated.
"His involvement was limited to the starting games in any case. His aggressive style the bat in limited-overs, even if it just sets him back for a short period, the choice was made to approach this more conservatively."
Series Schedule
The Ashes: Australia v England
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
