The Australian skipper has taken 309 Test scalps in 71 Test matches with an average of 22.10.
The Australian selection chief George Bailey has confirmed that captain Pat Cummins will be a central figure in this winter's Ashes series.
Speculation had been growing that the veteran bowler might sit out due to a persistent back stress problem that remained unresolved.
Previous updates from the squad suggested no final decision had been made regarding his involvement, with the five-Test series scheduled to begin on 21 November in Western Australia.
He revealed that Cummins is "building up" and felt positive about the prospects of participating.
"It's clear that time is getting short and multiple considerations at play, not only the back issue, but other factors as well," the selector added.
"It's positive. There's strong faith that he'll participate in a significant role. With luck starting in Perth. Should that not happen, we'll reassess."
Previous Setbacks
The captain missed Australia's limited-overs series against New Zealand and India recently after examinations confirmed a stress reaction in his back.
He has a history of spinal problems, with setbacks in several earlier campaigns forcing him out of multiple domestic campaigns in four years.
The bowler mentioned 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 he had started his bowling workouts as part of his rehabilitation but conceded it was "getting tight" for him to regain fitness for the opener.
Contingency Plans
Should Cummins not be fit, ex-skipper Smith will lead the side.
The talented all-rounder was recently pulled out from the national team for their ODI contests against the Asian giants as a preventive step because of discomfort in his torso.
Bailey described it as a "slight concern and mentioned that Green will play in the state-level matches, so will be "well-prepared to be ready to bowl."
"Considerable effort has gone into developing the strategy for him to participate for the first Test as an dual-role player," Bailey explained.
"His involvement was limited to the first two ODIs anyway. The way he swings the bat in limited-overs, if it causes any delay for another day, the choice was made to adopt a safer strategy."
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