The Australian skipper has claimed 309 wickets in 71 five-day games with an impressive average.
Australia's selection chief Bailey has confirmed that captain Pat Cummins will be a central figure in this winter's Ashes series.
There were concerns that the veteran bowler might miss the series due to a ongoing back issue that remained unresolved.
Initial reports from the Australian camp suggested no official announcement had been made regarding his involvement, with the five-Test series set to start on 21 November in Perth.
The selector shared that his recovery is on track and felt positive about the likelihood of participating.
"We know that the clock is ticking and various factors around that, aside from the physical problem, but additional elements," he commented.
"The outlook is good. We firmly believe that he'll participate in a significant role. With luck from the opening match. If not, we'll reassess."
Injury History
He was sidelined the white-ball matches against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals in the previous weeks after scans revealed a lumbar bone stress.
He has a history of recurring issues, with setbacks in multiple past seasons leading to absences from several home seasons in a limited period.
He emphasized he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his recovery plan to secure his spot for the contest.
Bailey noted that he did not know if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his comeback but admitted it was "pressing" for him to recover fully for the first Test.
Backup Options
Should Cummins not be fit, veteran batsman Smith will take over the captaincy.
The talented all-rounder was excluded lately from the ODI lineup for their ODI contests against India as a precautionary measure because of discomfort in his torso.
Bailey described it as a "small issue and mentioned that Green will play in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "ideally positioned to be ready to bowl."
"Considerable effort has gone into developing the strategy for him to participate for the first Test as an batting and bowling option," he elaborated.
"His involvement was limited to the initial matches in any case. How he handles the bat in limited-overs, even if it just sets him back for another day, we just made the decision to approach this more conservatively."
Match Calendar
Australia vs England: The Ashes
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
