The pace bowler has taken over 300 dismissals in 71 Test matches with an stellar bowling average.
The Australian chair of selectors Bailey has stated that captain Pat Cummins will be a central figure in the forthcoming England-Australia contest.
Rumors had circulated that the 32-year-old might be unavailable due to a stress fracture in his back that was still troubling him.
Initial reports from the Australian camp suggested no official announcement had been made regarding whether he would play, with the extended contest kicking off on 21 November in the WACA.
He revealed that his recovery is on track and remained hopeful about the likelihood of participating.
"It's clear that the clock is ticking and multiple considerations involved, aside from the physical problem, but further aspects," Bailey remarked.
"The outlook is good. [We are] really confident that he will feature a significant role. With luck from the opening match. If not, we'll reassess."
Previous Setbacks
He was sidelined Australia's limited-overs series against New Zealand and India last month after medical tests showed a lower back issue.
There is a track record of recurring issues, with setbacks in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 forcing him out of multiple domestic campaigns in a short span.
He emphasized he would be proactive in his approach in his comeback strategy to secure his spot for the series.
He mentioned that there was no confirmation if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his rehabilitation but admitted it was "pressing" for him to recover fully for the opener.
Backup Options
If he's unavailable, veteran batsman Smith will assume leadership.
Versatile player Green was withdrawn recently from the ODI lineup for their one-day international series against India as a safety move because of an abdominal issue.
The selector characterized it as a "small issue and stated that he's scheduled to appear in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "ideally positioned to deliver overs."
"Considerable effort has gone into building out the plan for him to take part for the opening match as an dual-role player," the selector detailed.
"His involvement was limited to the starting games anyway. How he handles the willow in shorter formats, if it causes any delay for 24 more hours, we just made the decision to take a cautious route."
Fixture Details
Australia vs England: The Ashes
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
