There is also a first appearance of the season for fly-half Jeremy Staunton as Tigers travel to The Recreation Ground in Round Five of the Aviva Premiership season.
Parling ended the 2009/10 season with a Premiership winner’s medal but made just one appearance last season after first picking up an injury on the England tour to Australia and New Zealand, and then suffering a knee injury.
His return is the only change in the forward pack from last week, while director of rugby Richard Cockerill gives a first start to Staunton and Mathew Tait in the backline, and Matt Smith switches to centre.
Ben Pienaar, who missed the second half of last season with injury, is named in the matchday squad for the first time in 2011/12.
Director of rugby Cockerill said: “It’s a tough start to the season for us, but the players have shown a great attitude to their work, they are a tight bunch of lads and we have to just battle on.
“Geoff Parling has been really unlucky with injuries but having him back gives us options up front and it’ll be good to see him back out there on the pitch.”
Anthony Allen picked up an injury in the match against Saracens last week and Mickey Young is out with a calf injury. They join Kieran Brookes, Jordan Crane, Calum Green, Craig Newby, George Skivington and Julian White on the sidelines.
Bath include former Tigers players Sam Vesty and Dan Hipkiss in their starting line-up.
Leicester Tigers (v Bath Rugby, The Recreation Ground, Saturday 3.15pm)
15 Niall Morris
14 Scott Hamilton
13 Matt Smith
12 Billy Twelvetrees
11 Mathew Tait
10 Jeremy Staunton
9 James Grindal
1 Boris Stankovich
2 George Chuter (c)
3 Michael Holford
4 Ed Slater
5 Geoff Parling
6 Steve Mafi
7 Ben Woods
8 Julian Salvi
Replacements
16 Tom Youngs
17 Jonny Harris
18 Peter Bucknall
19 Graham Kitchener
20 Ben Pienaar
21 Sam Harrison
22 George Ford
23 Andy Forsyth
Bath Rugby
15 Nick Abendanon
14 Matt Carraro
13 Dan Hipkiss
12 Ben Williams
11 Tom Biggs
10 Sam Vesty
9 Michael Claassens (c)
1 David Flatman
2 Pieter Dixon
3 Kane Palma-Newport
4 Dave Attwood
5 Ryan Caldwell
6 Ben Skirving
7 Guy Mercer
8 Simon Taylor
Replacements
16 Ross Batty
17 Charlie Beech
18 Duncan Bell
19 Will Spencer
20 Andy Beattie
21 Mark McMillan
22 Tom Heathcote
23 Olly Woodburn
