The pace bowler has taken 309 Test scalps in 71 appearances with an impressive average.
Australia's chief selector George Bailey has stated that captain Pat Cummins will be a central figure in the upcoming England-Australia contest.
Speculation had been growing that Cummins might sit out due to a ongoing back issue that was still troubling him.
Earlier indications from the squad suggested no official announcement had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the extended contest scheduled to begin on the 21st of November in the WACA.
He revealed that Cummins is "building up" and was "optimistic" about his chances of participating.
"We're aware that the clock is ticking and there are permutations around that, not only the back issue, but further aspects," he commented.
"We're encouraged. We firmly believe that he'll participate in a major part. Hopefully starting in Perth. Should that not happen, then we'll pick it up."
Past Concerns
The captain missed the ODI and T20 games against New Zealand and India in the previous weeks after examinations confirmed a stress reaction in his back.
He has a history of recurring issues, with recurrences in multiple past seasons leading to absences from several home seasons in a short span.
He emphasized he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his recovery plan 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 "becoming urgent" for him to be fit for the first Test.
Backup Options
Should Cummins not be fit, veteran batsman Smith will take over the captaincy.
The talented all-rounder was recently pulled out from Australia's squad for their limited-overs matches against India as a safety move because of an abdominal issue.
Bailey described it as a "slight concern and stated that Green will play in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "in a good place to be ready to bowl."
"Considerable effort has gone into developing the strategy for him to take part for the opening match as an batting and bowling option," he elaborated.
"He was only going to play the starting games regardless. His aggressive style the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, if it causes any delay for a short period, we just made the decision to take a cautious route."
Match Calendar
Australia vs England: The Ashes
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
