The Australian skipper has taken 309 Test scalps in 71 Test matches with an impressive average.
Australia's selection chief the selector has confirmed that captain Pat Cummins will be a central figure in the forthcoming historic rivalry.
Rumors had circulated that the veteran bowler might miss the series due to a persistent back stress problem that had not yet healed.
Previous updates from the squad suggested no final decision had been made regarding Cummins' participation, with the extended contest scheduled to begin on 21 November in Perth.
The selector shared that Cummins is "building up" and felt positive about the prospects of participating.
"We know that the clock is ticking and multiple considerations at play, aside from the physical problem, but further aspects," Bailey remarked.
"The outlook is good. We firmly believe that he'll participate in a key capacity. Hopefully starting in Perth. Should that not happen, then we'll pick it up."
Past Concerns
The captain missed the ODI and T20 games against India and New Zealand in the previous weeks after medical tests showed a lumbar bone stress.
There is a track record of recurring issues, with flare-ups in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 leading to absences from three Australian summers in four years.
Cummins stated he would be bold in recovery efforts in his rehabilitation process to ensure his availability for the contest.
Bailey noted that it was unclear if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his rehabilitation but conceded it was "pressing" for him to be fit for the first Test.
Contingency Plans
Should Cummins not be fit, former captain Steve Smith will take over the captaincy.
All-rounder Cameron Green was excluded lately from the ODI lineup for their ODI contests against the Asian giants as a safety move because of an abdominal issue.
Bailey described it as a "minor" injury and stated that Green will play in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "ideally positioned to resume bowling."
"Considerable effort has gone into developing the strategy for him to take part for the initial game as an all-rounder," he elaborated.
"His involvement was limited to the first two ODIs in any case. How he handles the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, if it causes any delay for 24 more hours, we just made the decision to adopt a safer strategy."
Series Schedule
The Historic Rivalry
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
