The Australian skipper has secured 309 wickets in 71 five-day games with an average of 22.10.
Australia's selection chief Bailey has declared that captain Pat Cummins will have a crucial role in this winter's historic rivalry.
Rumors had circulated that the veteran bowler might miss the series due to a ongoing back issue that had not yet healed.
Earlier indications from team management suggested no final decision had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the Test matches kicking off on 21 November in Perth.
He revealed that Cummins is "building up" and was "optimistic" about the likelihood of participating.
"We know that the window is narrowing and there are permutations involved, not only the back issue, but further aspects," he commented.
"It's positive. We firmly believe that he'll participate in a major part. Ideally from the opening match. Should that not happen, then we'll pick it up."
Injury History
Cummins was ruled out the ODI and T20 games against India and New Zealand recently after examinations confirmed a lower back issue.
Previous incidents include of back injuries, with flare-ups in multiple past seasons leading to absences from three Australian summers in a short span.
The bowler mentioned he would be proactive in his approach in his recovery plan to make the squad for the contest.
Bailey noted that it was unclear if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his recovery but acknowledged it was "pressing" for him to regain fitness for the initial match.
Contingency Plans
Should Cummins not be fit, ex-skipper Smith will take over the captaincy.
All-rounder Cameron Green was excluded lately from the ODI lineup for their ODI contests against the Asian giants as a safety move because of an abdominal issue.
The selector characterized it as a "small issue and confirmed that he'll feature in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "ideally positioned to deliver overs."
"Considerable effort has gone into creating the schedule for him to participate for the first Test as an batting and bowling option," Bailey explained.
"He was only going to play the initial matches in any case. His aggressive style the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, should it hinder progress for 24 more hours, we opted to adopt a safer strategy."
Match Calendar
The Historic Rivalry
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
