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Australia will attempt to find the right balance on Pat Cummins' workload to get the best out of him with ball and as captain in the Ashes.

Cameron Green and Marnus Labuschagne could become the unlikely linchpins of Pat Cummins' captaincy as Australia fight to keep their skipper fresh.

Cummins will lead a red-ball team for the first time in Wednesday's Ashes series opener at the Gabba, after having never captained NSW in the Sheffield Shield.

Coach Justin Langer confirmed on Saturday he had settled on his team, but would not confirm if Travis Head had won the battle with Usman Khawaja for the No.5 spot as expected.

But what will be equally curious is how Cummins manages his own summer as Australia's first full-time fast-bowling captain.

The 28-year-old sent down the most overs of any Australian quick last summer, while the first-choice seamers tend to account for around 65 per cent of the team's overs.

However Langer sees allrounder Green and Labuschagne as important in managing Cummins' workload, who will be assisted heavily by his deputy Steve Smith.

Green bowled 44 overs last summer across four Tests and didn't take a wicket, while Labuschagne sent down just 11.

"He (Cummins) will be fine strategically," Langer said.

"It will just be maintaining the balance of everything else that goes with his bowling load and then captaining and all the other commitments.

"So we'll keep an eye on that.

"Cam Green is going to be important there with his extra bowling that he can give. Marnus bowling some as well.

"So we'll try and manage him as best we can."

What Langer isn't concerned about however is the leadership in Australia's team.

He backed the partnership of Smith and Cummins, while adamant the quick had five other men to call upon.

"The role of Steve Smith will become very important on the field," Langer said.

"This day and age, there's so much data, you're so well prepared ... Pat will get all the gold nuggets.

"He's got lots of support around him. Steve Smith is the formal vice captain. David Warner has got as good of a cricket brain in the game.

"Alex Carey's been a captain before, now he's behind the stumps. He's got his his three best mates there in the bowlers.

"He's got massive upside Pat Cummins, as a leader and a captain of Australian cricket.

"He's an outstanding person, he's an elite player".

Meanwhile Langer also declared he had full confidence in Alex Carey's build up to his Test debut as a replacement for Tim Paine.

Only Andrew Symonds has played more white-ball games for Australia than Carey's 83 before earning a Baggy Green.

"He's excited. He is a fantastic young bloke. He has done a great apprenticeship," Langer said.

"The words he spoke the other day were just exemplary and a great example of what he's like as a person.

"So really looking forward to having him around the Test team."