The pace bowler has secured over 300 dismissals in 71 appearances with an average of 22.10.
Australia's chief selector Bailey has stated that captain Pat Cummins will play a "major part" in the upcoming historic rivalry.
Rumors had circulated that Cummins might sit out due to a ongoing back issue that was still troubling him.
Previous updates from the Australian camp suggested no official announcement had been made regarding whether he would play, with the Test matches kicking off on the 21st of November in Perth.
Bailey expressed that the captain is progressing and remained hopeful about his chances of taking part.
"We're aware that time is getting short and multiple considerations involved, not only the back issue, but further aspects," he commented.
"It's positive. There's strong faith that he'll participate in a key capacity. Hopefully starting in Perth. Otherwise, we'll reassess."
Past Concerns
Cummins was ruled out Australia's limited-overs series against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals last month after medical tests showed a lower back issue.
Previous incidents include of recurring issues, with setbacks in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 leading to absences from several home seasons in four years.
He emphasized he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his comeback strategy to make the squad for the series.
The selector indicated that there was no confirmation if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his rehabilitation but admitted it was "becoming urgent" for him to be fit for the initial match.
Alternative Arrangements
In case of absence, veteran batsman Smith will assume leadership.
All-rounder Cameron Green was excluded lately from the ODI lineup for their limited-overs matches against the Asian giants as a precautionary measure because of soreness in his side.
He labeled it as a "small issue and mentioned that he'll feature in the state-level matches, so will be "well-prepared to resume bowling."
"Considerable effort has gone into creating the schedule for him to participate for the opening match as an batting and bowling option," Bailey explained.
"His involvement was limited to the first two ODIs anyway. How he handles the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, even if it just sets him back for 24 more hours, the choice was made to take a cautious route."
Fixture Details
The Historic Rivalry
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
