The pace bowler has taken 309 Test scalps in 71 Test matches with an average of 22.10.
Australia's chair of selectors the selector has confirmed that captain Pat Cummins will be a central figure in the upcoming historic rivalry.
Rumors had circulated that the 32-year-old might be unavailable due to a ongoing back issue that was still troubling him.
Initial reports from the squad suggested no final decision had been made regarding whether he would play, with the extended contest kicking off on November 21 in Perth.
He revealed that Cummins is "building up" and remained hopeful about the prospects of being involved.
"We're aware that the clock is ticking and multiple considerations at play, not only the physical problem, but other factors as well," Bailey remarked.
"We're encouraged. There's strong faith that he'll participate in a significant role. Hopefully it's the first Test. If not, we'll reassess."
Past Concerns
Cummins was ruled out Australia's limited-overs series against New Zealand and India in the previous weeks after medical tests showed a lower back issue.
Previous incidents include of spinal problems, with flare-ups in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 forcing him out of several home seasons in four years.
He emphasized he would be proactive in his approach in his recovery plan to ensure his availability for the contest.
He mentioned that he did not know if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his comeback but admitted it was "getting tight" for him to regain fitness for the opener.
Contingency Plans
Should Cummins not be fit, former captain Steve Smith will lead the side.
All-rounder Cameron Green was recently pulled out from Australia's squad for their one-day international series against the Asian giants as a precautionary measure because of discomfort in his torso.
He labeled it as a "minor" injury and mentioned that Green will play in the state-level matches, so will be "ideally positioned to deliver overs."
"Considerable effort has gone into building out the plan for him to be available for the first Test as an all-rounder," Bailey explained.
"He was only going to play the initial matches anyway. How he handles the bat in limited-overs, even if it just sets him back for 24 more hours, we opted to take a cautious route."
Match Calendar
The Historic Rivalry
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
