The pace bowler has secured over 300 dismissals in 71 five-day games with an stellar bowling average.
The Australian chief selector the selector has stated that captain Pat Cummins will have a crucial role in the upcoming England-Australia contest.
There were concerns that the veteran bowler might be unavailable due to a ongoing back issue that was still troubling him.
Previous updates from the Australian camp suggested no final decision had been made regarding whether he would play, with the Test matches set to start on November 21 in Perth.
Bailey expressed that his recovery is on track and felt positive about the prospects of being involved.
"We're aware that the clock is ticking and various factors involved, aside from the physical problem, but additional elements," he commented.
"The outlook is good. We firmly believe that he will feature a significant role. Hopefully it's the first Test. Should that not happen, then we'll pick it up."
Previous Setbacks
He was sidelined Australia's limited-overs series against India and New Zealand in the previous weeks after examinations confirmed a lower back issue.
Previous incidents include of back injuries, with recurrences in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 causing him to miss three Australian summers in a short span.
He emphasized he would be bold in recovery efforts in his recovery plan to make the squad for the contest.
He mentioned that it was unclear if Cummins had begun bowling as part of his rehabilitation but acknowledged it was "getting tight" for him to be fit for the initial match.
Backup Options
If he's unavailable, veteran batsman Smith will assume leadership.
All-rounder Cameron Green was recently pulled out from the national team for their limited-overs matches against India as a safety move because of an abdominal issue.
Bailey described it as a "minor" injury and mentioned that he'll feature in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "well-prepared to deliver overs."
"Considerable effort has gone into creating the schedule for him to take part for the initial game 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, should it hinder progress for a short period, we opted to adopt a safer strategy."
Match Calendar
The Historic Rivalry
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
