Pat Cummins has claimed over 300 dismissals in 71 five-day games with an average of 22.10.
Australia's selection chief Bailey has declared that skipper Cummins will have a crucial role in the forthcoming historic rivalry.
There were concerns that the veteran bowler might sit out due to a persistent back stress problem that had not yet healed.
Initial reports from team management suggested no final decision had been made regarding his involvement, with the Test matches set to start on the 21st of November in Western Australia.
Bailey expressed that his recovery is on track and was "optimistic" about his chances of participating.
"We know that the clock is ticking and there are permutations around that, not just the physical problem, but further aspects," the selector added.
"We're encouraged. [We are] really confident that he will feature a significant role. Ideally from the opening match. Should that not happen, we'll adjust."
Past Concerns
The captain missed the white-ball matches against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals last month after scans revealed a lumbar bone stress.
Previous incidents include of spinal problems, with recurrences in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 causing him to miss three Australian summers in a short span.
He emphasized he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his recovery plan to make the squad for the series.
The selector indicated that it was unclear if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his comeback but admitted it was "pressing" for him to recover fully for the first Test.
Contingency Plans
Should Cummins not be fit, ex-skipper Smith will lead the side.
Versatile player Green was withdrawn recently from the national team for their ODI contests against India as a safety move because of soreness in his side.
The selector characterized it as a "slight concern and confirmed that he's scheduled to appear in the state-level matches, so will be "ideally positioned to resume bowling."
"We put so much time has gone into creating the schedule for him to be available for the opening match as an batting and bowling option," the selector detailed.
"He was only going to play the starting games in any case. His aggressive style the willow in shorter formats, if it causes any delay for a short period, we just made the decision to approach this more conservatively."
Match Calendar
The Historic Rivalry
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
