The pace bowler has secured over 300 dismissals in 71 Test matches with an average of 22.10.
The Australian chief selector George Bailey has declared that captain Pat Cummins will have a crucial role in the upcoming historic rivalry.
Rumors had circulated that the veteran bowler might be unavailable due to a persistent back stress problem that had not yet healed.
Previous updates from team management suggested no definitive call had been made regarding whether he would play, with the Test matches scheduled to begin on November 21 in the WACA.
He revealed that the captain is progressing and remained hopeful about his chances of being involved.
"It's clear that the clock is ticking and there are permutations at play, aside from the back issue, but other factors as well," he commented.
"We're encouraged. We firmly believe that he's going to play a major part. Hopefully it's the first Test. Should that not happen, then we'll pick it up."
Injury History
He was sidelined the white-ball matches against India and New Zealand last month after scans revealed a stress reaction in his back.
There is a track record of spinal problems, with flare-ups in multiple past seasons causing him to miss several home seasons in a short span.
He emphasized he would be ""aggressive" and "take risks" in his rehabilitation process to ensure his availability for the series.
Bailey noted that there was no confirmation if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his comeback but conceded it was "getting tight" for him to regain fitness for the first Test.
Contingency Plans
In case of absence, former captain Steve Smith will take over the captaincy.
All-rounder Cameron Green was withdrawn recently from the ODI lineup for their ODI contests against the Asian giants as a precautionary measure because of discomfort in his torso.
The selector characterized it as a "small issue and stated that Green will play in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "ideally positioned to resume bowling."
"Considerable effort has gone into building out the plan for him to take part for the first Test as an batting and bowling option," he elaborated.
"He was only going to play the initial matches anyway. How he handles the bat in limited-overs, should it hinder progress for another day, we opted to adopt a safer strategy."
Match Calendar
The Historic Rivalry
Spanning from late 2025 to early 2026
