The pace bowler has secured 309 wickets in 71 Test matches with an impressive average.
The Australian selection chief Bailey has confirmed that captain Pat Cummins will have a crucial role in this winter's historic rivalry.
There were concerns that the 32-year-old might sit out due to a persistent back stress problem that was still troubling him.
Initial reports from team management suggested no official announcement had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the five-Test series scheduled to begin on the 21st of 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 at play, aside from the physical problem, but other factors as well," he commented.
"It's positive. There's strong faith that he'll participate in a significant role. Ideally it's the first Test. If not, then we'll pick it up."
Previous Setbacks
The captain missed Australia's limited-overs series against India and New Zealand recently after examinations confirmed a lower back issue.
He has a history of back injuries, with flare-ups in multiple past seasons forcing him out of three Australian summers in four years.
Cummins stated he would be proactive in his approach in his rehabilitation process to secure his spot for the contest.
The selector indicated that there was no confirmation if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his comeback but acknowledged it was "getting tight" for him to regain fitness for the first Test.
Alternative Arrangements
In case of absence, veteran batsman Smith will lead the side.
The talented all-rounder was recently pulled out from Australia's squad for their limited-overs matches against the Asian giants as a precautionary measure because of soreness in his side.
He labeled it as a "minor" injury and confirmed that he's scheduled to appear in the state-level matches, so will be "ideally positioned to be ready to bowl."
"Extensive planning has gone into building out the plan for him to take part for the initial game as an all-rounder," Bailey explained.
"He was only going to play the starting games in any case. How he handles the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, should it hinder progress for a short period, we opted to adopt a safer strategy."
Fixture Details
The Historic Rivalry
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
