The Australian skipper has claimed over 300 dismissals in 71 five-day games with an impressive average.
The Australian chief selector the selector has confirmed that captain Pat Cummins will have a crucial role in the forthcoming England-Australia contest.
Rumors had circulated that the 32-year-old might sit out due to a persistent back stress problem that was still troubling him.
Previous updates from the squad suggested no final decision had been made regarding his involvement, with the five-Test series set to start on 21 November in Perth.
The selector shared that his recovery is on track and remained hopeful about the prospects of participating.
"We know that the clock is ticking and various factors around that, aside from his injury, but further aspects," the selector added.
"We're encouraged. There's strong faith that he'll participate in a key capacity. Hopefully from the opening match. Should that not happen, we'll adjust."
Previous Setbacks
He was sidelined the ODI and T20 games against India and New Zealand recently after examinations confirmed a lumbar bone stress.
He has a history of back injuries, with setbacks in several earlier campaigns causing him to miss three Australian summers in a limited period.
He emphasized he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his recovery plan to ensure his availability for the contest.
Bailey noted that there was no confirmation if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his rehabilitation but acknowledged it was "getting tight" for him to regain fitness for the first Test.
Alternative Arrangements
If he's unavailable, veteran batsman Smith will lead the side.
All-rounder Cameron Green was excluded lately from the ODI lineup for their ODI contests against the subcontinent side as a preventive step because of discomfort in his torso.
The selector characterized it as a "minor" injury and stated that he'll feature in the Sheffield Shield, so will be "ideally positioned to deliver overs."
"Considerable effort has gone into creating the schedule for him to be available for the opening match as an dual-role player," he elaborated.
"His involvement was limited to the starting games in any case. His aggressive style the willow in shorter formats, if it causes any delay for 24 more hours, we just made the decision to take a cautious route."
Series Schedule
The Historic Rivalry
21 November 2025 - 7 January 2026
