The Australian skipper has taken 309 Test scalps in 71 five-day games with an stellar bowling average.
The Australian selection chief Bailey has declared that captain Pat Cummins will have a crucial role in this winter's historic rivalry.
There were concerns that the veteran bowler might be unavailable due to a ongoing back issue that had not yet healed.
Initial reports from the Australian camp suggested no official announcement had been made regarding whether he would play, with the Test matches scheduled to begin on 21 November in the WACA.
He revealed that the captain is progressing and remained hopeful about his chances of participating.
"We know that time is getting short and various factors around that, not just the physical problem, but further aspects," he commented.
"It's positive. There's strong faith that he'll participate in a key capacity. With luck starting in Perth. Should that not happen, we'll reassess."
Previous Setbacks
Cummins was ruled out the white-ball matches against New Zealand and India recently after examinations confirmed a lumbar bone stress.
There is a track record of spinal problems, with setbacks in several earlier campaigns forcing him out of several home seasons in four years.
Cummins stated he would be bold in recovery efforts in his rehabilitation process to secure his spot for the contest.
Bailey noted that it was unclear if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his rehabilitation but conceded it was "pressing" for him to be fit for the first Test.
Backup Options
In case of absence, veteran batsman Smith will assume leadership.
Versatile player Green was excluded lately from the ODI lineup for their one-day international series against India as a preventive step because of discomfort in his torso.
Bailey described it as a "slight concern and confirmed that he'll feature in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "ideally positioned to deliver overs."
"We put so much time has gone into building out the plan for him to be available for the initial game as an dual-role player," Bailey explained.
"He was only going to play the starting games in any case. The way he swings the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, even if it just sets him back for 24 more hours, we opted to adopt a safer strategy."
Match Calendar
The Historic Rivalry
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026