🔗 Share this article

The phase for before the Ashes exchanges and selection guesses is nearly done after Australia announced a 15-player team to confront England in the first Test. The larger lineup for the series opener suggests the necessity for cool heads during the heated contest, with the newcomer included for the maiden appearance in place of aggressive batsman Sam Konstas.

Yet with Marnus Labuschagne hitting stride and the remaining uncapped members being two fast bowling replacements, there is a recognizable feel to the selection even without injured captain Pat Cummins. Following is the way every player (listed in alphabetical order) will face the Bazball style, with a star rating indicating their potential influence on the campaign beginning on 21 November.

First. Sean Abbott

The veteran seamer is again trusted as a back-up after being a frequent presence in the white-ball sides in the past few years. With Cummins's return remaining unknown, and the remaining front-line bowlers dealing with a tough fixture list, the 33-year-old will want to continue his recent success to stay in contention for a maiden appearance. ★☆☆☆☆

Second. Scott Boland

The fourth best pace bowler in Australia has become a target for England for his unflattering performances during the previous series as well as for his quiet personality away from the pitch. However the 36-year-old has not taken a significant haul at an bowling average of an impressive figure – featuring a hat-trick in his last Test against West Indies – without being a force at the top level and ought to embrace the unique opportunity to begin a campaign in the first match. ★★★☆☆

Third. Alex Carey

The main gloveman is returning in the intense cauldron of an contest hoping to stand out with the bat and his gloves, as much as for his involvement in a unforgettable moment when dismissing the English batsman at Lord's in the last series. The veteran is currently a much more assured batter if needed to score quickly or help steer the lower-order with a decisive innings. ★★★★☆

4. Brendan Doggett

The state paceman has been on the fringes of the national team across recent matches and is returning after claiming 33 wickets – including eleven in the last match – at an bowling average of 24.15 in the previous Sheffield Shield. An Test cap is now possible while Cummins is sidelined and the front-line fast bowlers prepare for a intense five-match series in seven weeks. ★☆☆☆☆

5. Cameron Green

The highly-touted player had been identified for the Test team from an early stage in his journey despite fitness issues, and the moment has arrived for him to make a major impact to a high-stakes contest. The 26-year-old was the best of the batting batters while batting at first drop in difficult conditions in the West Indies but might be selected in the order to ensure he can additionally assist the pace attack. If he can feasibly be selected as a genuine bowling option in the first Test, or might have to be relied upon to deliver more spells during the series, might be decided in the Sheffield Shield match this week. ★★★☆☆

Sixth. Josh Hazlewood

The metronomic seamer is at the height of his powers after leading the white-ball attack and getting ready for the contest during games against India. The veteran’s steady discipline, and hint of seam whether off the seam or in the air, is bound to challenge the tourists’ front foot approach to scoring, with the ongoing concern if he can play four or perhaps as many as five matches. ★★★★☆

Seventh. Travis Head

The explosive batter is vital to Australia’s hopes of taking the game up to England with his aggressive approach and propensity to hit massive runs as the stakes increase. A couple of centuries against the Indian team recently, and the similar the previous occasion the English toured for five Tests demonstrate his abilities, while the player has a knack of taking a breakthrough dismissal with his occasional but underrated spin bowling. ★★★★★

8. Josh Inglis

The reserve wicketkeeper in the squad showed that he should additionally be viewed as a specialist batsman when pummelling a hundred at more than a run-a-ball on debut in the subcontinent. The 30-year-old is most comfortable playing in the middle-order though he has demonstrated while captaining the team in white-ball matches that he has the flexibility to come in higher up, which might suit a regular position as the replacement. ★★☆☆☆

Ninth. Usman Khawaja

The experienced stays despite demands for a new blood at the opening position following tightening his hold on the first wicket with a double century in the subcontinent recently. However following being among several batsmen failing to deal with the Indian Jasprit Bumrah previously, the 38-year-old requires a strong beginning against the English pace cartel in what could be his final campaign to make sure he can make the call personally on the time to retire the baggy green. ★★☆☆☆

Tenth. Marnus Labuschagne

The former No 1-ranked batsman has left behind a poor run and the indignity of being omitted behind him to force his way again into the Australia squad – and certainly the XI to feature in the first Test. Labuschagne outstanding form with five centuries in his last eight knocks might provide the selectors the confidence to back him to open if required alongside Khawaja, though the batsman is more likely to trouble the opposition when batting at his favored first-drop. ★★★★☆

Eleventh. Nathan Lyon

The off-spinner was as notable for his missing presence as his wicket-taking efforts following a muscle problem in the second match contributed to change the contest when the team toured the UK in 2023. The veteran did not have the domestic series he would have wanted against the Indian team with only nine wickets last summer but bounced back to be key to the team's series sweeps in Sri Lanka and the West Indies. ★★★☆☆

12. Steve Smith (captain)

The Australian batting great will step in to captain the team till C