The pace bowler has taken over 300 dismissals in 71 appearances with an impressive average.
Australia's chair of selectors the selector has confirmed that captain Pat Cummins will be a central figure in the upcoming England-Australia contest.
Speculation had been growing 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 his involvement, with the Test matches kicking off on 21 November in Western Australia.
The selector shared that the captain is progressing and felt positive about his chances of taking part.
"We're aware that the window is narrowing and various factors around that, aside from the physical problem, but further aspects," he commented.
"The outlook is good. We firmly believe that he'll participate in a key capacity. Hopefully starting in Perth. If not, then we'll pick it up."
Past Concerns
He was sidelined Australia's limited-overs series against New Zealand and India recently after scans revealed a lower back issue.
Previous incidents include of back injuries, with recurrences in multiple past seasons leading to absences from several home seasons in four years.
He emphasized he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his rehabilitation process to make the squad for the contest.
Bailey noted that he did not know if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his comeback but conceded it was "getting tight" for him to regain fitness for the opener.
Backup Options
In case of absence, veteran batsman Smith will lead the side.
All-rounder Cameron Green was excluded lately from the national team for their ODI contests against the Asian giants as a precautionary measure because of discomfort in his torso.
He labeled it as a "minor" injury and stated that he'll feature in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "ideally positioned to be ready to bowl."
"We put so much time has gone into building out the plan for him to take part for the first Test as an dual-role player," the selector detailed.
"He was only going to play the initial matches in any case. How he handles the willow in shorter formats, even if it just sets him back for a short period, we just made the decision to take a cautious route."
Fixture Details
The Historic Rivalry
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
