The Australian skipper has secured 309 wickets in 71 five-day games with an average of 22.10.
Australia's chair of selectors Bailey has confirmed that captain Pat Cummins will have a crucial role in the forthcoming historic rivalry.
There were concerns that the 32-year-old might be unavailable due to a stress fracture in his back that had not yet healed.
Previous updates from team management suggested no definitive call had been made regarding whether he would play, with the extended contest kicking off on November 21 in Perth.
He revealed that his recovery is on track and remained hopeful about the prospects of being involved.
"It's clear that the window is narrowing and there are permutations around that, not just his injury, but other factors as well," he commented.
"We're encouraged. There's strong faith that he's going to play a key capacity. Ideally starting in Perth. If not, then we'll pick it up."
Past Concerns
The captain missed the ODI and T20 games against New Zealand and India recently after examinations confirmed a lower back issue.
He has a history of back injuries, with setbacks in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 leading to absences from several home seasons in four years.
The bowler mentioned he would be proactive in his approach in his comeback strategy to make the squad for the series.
The selector indicated that it was unclear if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his rehabilitation but admitted it was "getting tight" for him to be fit for the opener.
Backup Options
In case of absence, former captain Steve Smith will take over the captaincy.
The talented all-rounder was withdrawn recently from the ODI lineup for their one-day international series against the Asian giants as a preventive step because of an abdominal issue.
The selector characterized it as a "minor" injury and confirmed that he's scheduled to appear in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "ideally positioned to be ready to bowl."
"We put so much time has gone into building out the plan for him to take part for the opening match as an dual-role player," Bailey explained.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the first two ODIs regardless. The way he swings the willow in shorter formats, if it causes any delay for a short period, the choice was made to approach this more conservatively."
Match Calendar
The Historic Rivalry
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
