The pace bowler has taken 309 wickets in 71 five-day games with an average of 22.10.
The Australian chief selector the selector has confirmed that captain Pat Cummins will play a "major part" in the upcoming England-Australia contest.
There were concerns that the 32-year-old might sit out due to a persistent back stress problem that had not yet healed.
Previous updates from team management suggested no definitive call had been made regarding whether he would play, with the five-Test series kicking off on the 21st of November in Western Australia.
The selector shared that his recovery is on track and remained hopeful about his chances of being involved.
"We're aware that the clock is ticking and multiple considerations involved, not only the physical problem, but further aspects," Bailey remarked.
"We're encouraged. We firmly believe that he will feature a significant role. Ideally starting in Perth. If not, we'll adjust."
Injury History
The captain missed Australia's limited-overs series against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals in the previous weeks after examinations confirmed a lower back issue.
Previous incidents include of spinal problems, with recurrences in several earlier campaigns causing him to miss several home seasons in four years.
The bowler mentioned he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his rehabilitation process to make the squad for the contest.
He mentioned that he did not know if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his rehabilitation but conceded it was "becoming urgent" for him to regain fitness for the opener.
Alternative Arrangements
In case of absence, veteran batsman Smith will assume leadership.
The talented all-rounder was excluded lately from the ODI lineup for their limited-overs matches against India as a preventive step because of an abdominal issue.
The selector characterized it as a "minor" injury and confirmed that he's scheduled to appear in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "ideally positioned to resume bowling."
"Extensive planning has gone into creating the schedule for him to be available for the opening match as an batting and bowling option," Bailey explained.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the starting games regardless. His aggressive style the willow in shorter formats, if it causes any delay for 24 more hours, we opted to adopt a safer strategy."
Match Calendar
Australia vs England: The Ashes
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
