While the rest of Australia's 13-man squad were equipped with their batting and training gear at Brisbane's Allan Border Field, Clarke walked out without his kit on Monday morning.
He also played no part in the squad's warm up, instead just walking around the oval.
Clarke has been plagued by a chronic back injury for much of his Test career and aggravated it while scoring a Sheffield Shield century for NSW a fortnight ago.
He missed the Blues' subsequent shield loss to Tasmania last week to rest the injury.
"I think he is a particular finger-spinner for Australian pitches," O'Keeffe told The Australian. "I don't see him as value on slow pitches anywhere else but our own decks I see him as fulfilling a role, particularly against England, who like to sweep and cut finger-spinners.
Smith was also expected to be cut from the squad after England's batsmen, and Ian Bell in particular, took to his rudimentary leg-spinners during the Australia A game in Hobart.
It was probably Smith's batting which gave him the nod, scoring a determined 59 on a difficult first-day Bellerive Oval pitch. However, he did himself no favours in the second innings, leaving the first ball he faced to be bowled as Australia A lost by 10 wickets.
Michael Clarke continues to struggle with a troublesome back that may yet see Steve Smith make an unexpected appearance in the pivotal first Ashes Test, beginning in Brisbane on Thursday.
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