The Australian skipper has claimed 309 Test scalps in 71 Test matches with an impressive average.
Australia's chief selector the selector has stated that captain Pat Cummins will be a central figure in the forthcoming historic rivalry.
There were concerns that the veteran bowler might be unavailable due to a ongoing back issue that was still troubling him.
Initial reports from the Australian camp suggested no official announcement had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the Test matches set to start on November 21 in the WACA.
He revealed that Cummins is "building up" and felt positive about the likelihood of being involved.
"It's clear that the clock is ticking and multiple considerations around that, not only the physical problem, but additional elements," Bailey remarked.
"The outlook is good. There's strong faith that he'll participate in a significant role. With luck it's the first Test. Otherwise, we'll reassess."
Injury History
He was sidelined Australia's limited-overs series against New Zealand and India in the previous weeks after scans revealed a stress reaction in his back.
Previous incidents include of spinal problems, with setbacks in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 leading to absences from three Australian summers in a short span.
He emphasized he would be proactive in his approach in his comeback strategy to secure his spot for the series.
The selector indicated that it was unclear if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his comeback but acknowledged it was "becoming urgent" for him to regain fitness for the initial match.
Alternative Arrangements
Should Cummins not be fit, veteran batsman Smith will assume leadership.
Versatile player Green was recently pulled out from the ODI lineup for their ODI contests against the Asian giants as a preventive step because of soreness in his side.
Bailey described it as a "minor" injury and stated that Green will play in the state-level matches, so will be "ideally positioned to resume bowling."
"Considerable effort has gone into creating the schedule for him to participate for the opening match as an batting and bowling option," Bailey explained.
"His involvement was limited to the initial matches regardless. His aggressive style the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, should it hinder progress for another day, we just made the decision to adopt a safer strategy."
Match Calendar
The Historic Rivalry
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
