The pace bowler has taken 309 Test scalps in 71 five-day games with an stellar bowling average.
The Australian chair of selectors the selector has stated that captain Pat Cummins will play a "major part" in the upcoming historic rivalry.
Rumors had circulated that the 32-year-old might sit out due to a ongoing back issue that remained unresolved.
Initial reports from the Australian camp suggested no official announcement had been made regarding whether he would play, with the extended contest scheduled to begin on the 21st of November in the WACA.
Bailey expressed that the captain is progressing and remained hopeful about the prospects of participating.
"It's clear that the clock is ticking and there are permutations at play, not only the back issue, but other factors as well," Bailey remarked.
"The outlook is good. There's strong faith that he's going to play a key capacity. With luck starting in Perth. If not, we'll reassess."
Past Concerns
The captain missed the white-ball matches against India and New Zealand recently after medical tests showed a lower back issue.
He has a history of spinal problems, with setbacks in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 forcing him out of multiple domestic campaigns in a short span.
He emphasized he would be bold in recovery efforts in his comeback strategy to make the squad for the series.
He mentioned that it was unclear if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his comeback but acknowledged it was "pressing" for him to be fit for the first Test.
Contingency Plans
If he's unavailable, ex-skipper Smith will lead the side.
The talented all-rounder was withdrawn recently from the ODI lineup for their limited-overs matches against the subcontinent side as a preventive step because of discomfort in his torso.
The selector characterized it as a "small issue and stated that he'll feature in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "ideally positioned to resume bowling."
"Extensive planning has gone into creating the schedule for him to be available for the initial game as an dual-role player," he elaborated.
"He was only going to play the initial matches in any case. The way he swings the bat in limited-overs, even if it just sets him back for a short period, we opted to adopt a safer strategy."
Series Schedule
The Historic Rivalry
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
