Australia has announced its 15-member squad for the opening Test match of the Ashes series against England, set to begin on November 21st at Optus Stadium in Perth. Steve Smith will captain the side, stepping in for the injured Pat Cummins, who is sidelined with a back injury but will travel with the squad. Travis Head has been named as the deputy.
Chairman of selectors George Bailey stressed that the squad "gives us good balance" and noted that 14 of the 15 selected players will feature in the upcoming round of the Sheffield Shield, allowing selectors to "continue to gather information" before naming the final XI.
The squad features three potential Test debutants: batsman Jake Weatherald and bowlers Brendan Doggett and Sean Abbott. Weatherald, who has been in solid domestic form with three half-centuries in the Sheffield Shield, is a strong contender to open the innings alongside veteran Usman Khawaja.
Top-order batter Marnus Labuschagne has been recalled after a prolific start to the domestic season, which saw him plunder five centuries following his omission from the previous West Indies tour. Bailey confirmed Labuschagne has the "capability" to open, but his position remains uncertain, likely influenced by Cameron Green's availability as a full all-rounder.
The selection confirmed that young opener Sam Konstas had been dropped entirely after a "dismal performance" in the recent West Indies Test campaign. All-rounders Cameron Green and Beau Webster are both included. Green, who is returning after back surgery, is scheduled to bowl 15 to 20 overs in the next Shield match, a key factor the selectors are monitoring.
Despite naming the squad, Bailey remained tight-lipped about the starting eleven, stating, "We don't necessarily need to name the XI until the coin goes up." He praised Weatherald’s consistent performance over the past 18 months, saying his style was "really complementary to the other players around him in the squad."
On Labuschagne's recall, Bailey mentioned the focus was on runs being a "byproduct of some of the other things that we wanted to see," confirming the batter is in a "good place." Khawaja is the only squad member not playing the final Shield round due to a minor adductor strain, though he is not ruled out of the Test.
The five-match series spans seven weeks, beginning in Perth (Nov 21–25). The series then moves to the Gabba in Brisbane (Dec 4–8), Adelaide Oval (Dec 17–21), the traditional Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (Dec 26–30), and concludes at the Sydney Cricket Ground (Jan 4–8). England previously named its 16-man squad in September, captained by Ben Stokes, with Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley confirmed as the opening batters.
