The pace bowler has secured 309 wickets in 71 appearances with an stellar bowling average.
The Australian chief selector the selector has stated that captain Pat Cummins will have a crucial role in this winter's historic rivalry.
Speculation had been growing that the 32-year-old might be unavailable due to a ongoing back issue that had not yet healed.
Earlier indications from the Australian camp suggested no final decision had been made regarding whether he would play, with the extended contest scheduled to begin on the 21st of November in Western Australia.
Bailey expressed that his recovery is on track and remained hopeful about the prospects of being involved.
"It's clear that the window is narrowing and multiple considerations around that, not only the physical problem, but further aspects," he commented.
"The outlook is good. [We are] really confident that he will feature a major part. With luck it's the first Test. Otherwise, then we'll pick it up."
Previous Setbacks
He was sidelined Australia's limited-overs series against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals recently after medical tests showed a lumbar bone stress.
He has a history of spinal problems, with recurrences in multiple past seasons forcing him out of several home seasons in a short span.
He emphasized he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his rehabilitation process to make the squad for the contest.
Bailey noted that it was unclear if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his comeback but conceded it was "becoming urgent" for him to recover fully for the initial match.
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 national team for their limited-overs matches against the subcontinent side as a preventive step because of soreness in his side.
Bailey described it as a "minor" injury and mentioned that he'll feature in the state-level matches, so will be "ideally positioned to resume bowling."
"Considerable effort has gone into building out the plan for him to take part for the opening match as an batting and bowling option," he elaborated.
"Originally, he'd only feature in the initial matches anyway. How he handles the bat in limited-overs, if it causes any delay for another day, we just made the decision to approach this more conservatively."
Match Calendar
The Historic Rivalry
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
