The pace bowler has claimed 309 wickets in 71 five-day games with an stellar bowling average.
The Australian chair of selectors Bailey has declared that captain Pat Cummins will be a central figure in the upcoming England-Australia contest.
Speculation had been growing that the 32-year-old might sit out due to a persistent back stress problem that had not yet healed.
Earlier indications from the Australian camp suggested no final decision had been made regarding his involvement, with the Test matches kicking off on the 21st of November in the WACA.
The selector shared that his recovery is on track and felt positive about the likelihood of taking part.
"We know that time is getting short and there are permutations around that, not only the back issue, but further aspects," Bailey remarked.
"We're encouraged. There's strong faith that he'll participate in a major part. Ideally starting in Perth. If not, we'll reassess."
Previous Setbacks
He was sidelined the ODI and T20 games against India and New Zealand last month after scans revealed a lower back issue.
There is a track record of recurring issues, with setbacks in several earlier campaigns causing him to miss multiple domestic campaigns in a limited period.
Cummins stated he would be proactive in his approach in his recovery plan to secure his spot for the series.
He mentioned that it was unclear if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his recovery but conceded it was "becoming urgent" for him to recover fully for the initial match.
Contingency Plans
Should Cummins not be fit, ex-skipper Smith will assume leadership.
All-rounder Cameron Green was withdrawn recently from the national team for their ODI contests against the Asian giants as a precautionary measure because of discomfort in his torso.
He labeled it as a "minor" injury and stated that Green will play in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "well-prepared to deliver overs."
"Considerable effort has gone into developing the strategy for him to participate for the opening match as an all-rounder," Bailey explained.
"His involvement was limited to the starting games anyway. How he handles the willow in shorter formats, should it hinder progress for a short period, we opted to approach this more conservatively."
Fixture Details
The Historic Rivalry
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
