Australia have named a 15-man squad for the first Ashes Test in Perth, starting on November 21, with three uncapped players including chief selector George Bailey.
Opening batsman Jake Weatherald is in strong contention to make his debut, while Sean Abbott and Brendan Doggett are likely to have the drinks ready in case of any injuries.
Marnus Labuschagne is set to return to the XI after scoring five centuries in eight innings, but there is no room for prodigy Sam Konstas, who faces a stint in the domestic circuit to focus his development away from the spotlight.
Cameron Green is the only member of the squad under the age of 30, which is no surprise given their success over the past decade, although it does highlight a lack of forward planning compared to England’s bolder approach as the majority of the group prepare for what will most likely be their final home Ashes series.
We look at some of the key takeaways from the squad, which in Pat Cummins’ absence will be led by Steve Smith for the Perth Test.
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Jake Weatherald gets the honors in his final attempt to solve the opener riddle
Who will guide Usman Khawaja at the top of the order has been at the forefront of discussions ahead of the start of the Ashes series.
After three rounds of domestic red-ball action, national selectors have opted for 31-year-old Weatherald, who could make his Test debut in Perth.
The left-hander made his first-class debut in the 2015-16 season, finishing runner-up for the Bradman Young Cricketer of the Year award, and has been a consistent performer across all formats for much of his career, but it was last season where he established himself as the leading batsman in the Sheffield Shield with 906 runs at an average of 50.33 and three centuries.
That form for Tasmania has continued into the new campaign with three half-centuries, including a crucial 94 in a narrow win over Western Australia, at a healthy strike of 76.07, with the hope that his positive style can complement the more sedate Khawaja in a more controlled manner than his predecessor, Konstas.
With Australia also eyeing a replacement for 38-year-old Khawaja in the near future, the Ashes could be the perfect opportunity for Weatherald to cement his place as one of the Australians in the longer term.
Should Weatherald be selected, he will be Khawaja’s sixth different opening partner in 16 Test matches since David Warner retired after a number of mediocre raises, as well as making his debut for Nathan McSweeney and Konstas against India last year.
Australian Marnus Labuschagne has returned to the selection
Who will bat at number 3?
Cameron Green
The makeup of Australia’s batting order, either side of Smith and Travis Head, will depend heavily on the fitness of all-rounder Green, who is targeting an extended spell of bowling in the upcoming round of Sheffield Shield action.
Green has been playing as a specialist in an undisclosed No. 3 position since recovering from a serious back injury, while Beau Webster has commendably filled the role of all-rounder in the middle order.
While Green impressed against the West Indies in difficult circumstances, Labuschagne’s imperious form in recent weeks has made it almost unfathomable that he will not be recalled to the XI in Perth, most likely in his tried and tested position.
Marnus Labuschagne
Should Green be deemed physically capable of performing as a fourth player, the expected scenario would see the 26-year-old return to his former position at number 6 in place of Webster given his superior home record with the ball, which would also allow Weatherald to debut at the top of the order and provide a more structured batting line-up.
However, if Australia feel that Webster will provide more reliability as Green’s progression has not gone entirely to plan in terms of competitive overs under his belt, then the pair would retain their places and Labuschagne could feature as an opener instead, as he did in the World Test Championship final, leaving Weatherald to wait for his chance.
There are doubts about the fitness of Australian Cameron Green
The uncapped duo provides fast bowling depth
Much has been made of captain Cummins’ absence for the first Test, but in Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Scott Boland, England still face a serious challenge against a formidable pace attack.
Abbott, 33, and Doggett, 31, have both been named as the reserve bowlers but neither have yet received a baggy green.
Abbott has been a regular in the international playing field over the past decade, particularly in white-ball cricket, but has often found himself limited to a squad option, which will more than likely be the case here again, with his handy batting ability not enough to offset a rather uninspiring red-ball record in his primary role with the ball.
Doggett is yet to appear on the international stage but will likely be the first to be called up if any of the three ahead of him suffer an injury between now and the time Cummins returns.
The towering quick has 184 first-class wickets at an average of 26.75, including an 11-wicket haul in a player-of-the-match display as South Australia defeated Queensland in the 2024-25 Sheffield Shield final, and recorded match figures of 7-86 in his only first-class domestic appearance so far this season.
Much has been made about the age profile of the Australian squad and the depth beyond their key starters, which may only be a concern for the future and not the present. England’s most inexperienced, on the other hand, is Josh Tongue, who already has 31 Test wickets and an Ashes appearance to his name.
Who missed it?
Konstas himself
There were a number of names in the race for the top spot, with 20-year-old Konstas being the one to miss out after averaging just 8.33 during the tour of the West Indies.
Despite impressing with a half-century on debut against India at the MCG with a series of flamboyant shots, Konstas was subsequently not selected for the final of the World Test Championship, and has since failed to stake his claim with just one fifty in the Sheffield Shield, meaning an omission for a more experienced option was to be expected.
Matthew Renshaw
Left-hander Matthew Renshaw received plenty of support to fill the void, including an endorsement from his Queensland teammate Khawaja to be recalled after his last Test appearance in February 2023.
Renshaw averaged 29.31 across 14 previous Tests, with a high score of 184 against Pakistan in Sydney and made a century in the opening round of the Sheffield Shield before being called up for the recent ODI series against India, with the 29-year-old likely to be next in line should an opportunity arise later in the series.
Former Australia openers Cameron Bancroft and Marcus Harris both hit centuries in the most recent Sheffield Shield round, although they would have been leftfield calls, as did white-ball opener Mitchell Marsh and talented left-hander Campbell Kellaway, both of whom were also tipped as potential wildcard selections.
Michael Neser and Fergus O’Neill
With the ball, veteran Michael Neser has so often been the man in reserve and after a solid start to the domestic season he may feel a little unlucky that he isn’t that again, although given the 35-year-old’s only two Test appearances were both pink-ball matches in Adelaide, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him called up for the Day-Night Gabba Test.
Fergus O’Neill is another name in the mix and at 24 offers a much-needed prospect for Australian bowling stocks in the long term, with an excellent record of 146 first-class scalps at an average of just 20.62.
Despite his strong domestic performances over the past two years, O’Neill’s lack of real pace may be a contributing factor to his snub, although his spell at Trent Bridge for Nottinghamshire during the early rounds of the 2025 County Championship suggests he could be a major force for the touring Aussies in 2027.
Full Australian squad for the first Ashes Test
Steve Smith (cap), Sean Abbott, Scott Boland, Alex Carey (wk), Brendan Doggett, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis (wk), Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Starc, Jake Weatherald, Beau Webster.
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