The Australian skipper has secured 309 wickets in 71 appearances with an stellar bowling average.
Australia's selection chief Bailey has declared that captain Pat Cummins will be a central figure in this winter's historic rivalry.
Rumors had circulated that the 32-year-old might be unavailable due to a persistent back stress problem that remained unresolved.
Initial reports from the Australian camp suggested no definitive call had been made regarding whether he would play, with the Test matches scheduled to begin on the 21st of November in Western Australia.
The selector shared that Cummins is "building up" and remained hopeful about his chances of participating.
"We're aware that the window is narrowing and various factors involved, not only the back issue, but additional elements," the selector added.
"The outlook is good. We firmly believe that he will feature a significant role. Ideally it's the first Test. Otherwise, we'll reassess."
Previous Setbacks
Cummins was ruled out Australia's limited-overs series against New Zealand and India recently after medical tests showed a stress reaction in his back.
He has a history of spinal problems, with flare-ups in several earlier campaigns leading to absences from multiple domestic campaigns in a limited period.
He emphasized he would be proactive in his approach in his recovery plan to secure his spot for the contest.
He mentioned that it was unclear if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his rehabilitation but admitted it was "pressing" for him to regain fitness for the initial match.
Contingency Plans
Should Cummins not be fit, veteran batsman Smith will take over the captaincy.
Versatile player Green was withdrawn recently from the national team for their limited-overs matches against India as a precautionary measure because of soreness in his side.
The selector characterized it as a "minor" injury and mentioned that he'll feature in the state-level matches, so will be "well-prepared to be ready to bowl."
"We put so much time has gone into creating the schedule for him to participate for the initial game as an batting and bowling option," Bailey explained.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the starting games anyway. The way he swings the willow in shorter formats, if it causes any delay for a short period, we opted to take a cautious route."
Fixture Details
The Historic Rivalry
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
