Jake Weatherald and Brendan Doggett are set to make their Test debuts in Friday’s first Ashes Test in Perth, with Australia’s XI all but locked in 24 hours out from the first ball.
The team is yet to be confirmed, but according to The Age, players were informed of the make-up of the team ahead of Thursday’s final training session, with captain Steve Smith to confirm the final XI this afternoon.
However, the two inclusions means all-rounder Beau Webster is set to be overlooked despite a strong start to his Test career in seven matches in 2025, with Cameron Green to be the sole all-rounder.
31-year old Weatherald has been expected to debut since a flying start to the Sheffield Shield season saw him vault into the 15-man preliminary squad for the first Test as one of only two specialist opening batters.
The Tasmanian, who reignited his first-class career after moving from South Australia two seasons ago, will be Usman Khawaja’s sixth different opening partner since David Warner’s retirement in January 2024.
Doggett, meanwhile, was initially named in the squad after throwing his name into the ring with a superb 2024/25 Sheffield Shield summer for adopted state South Australia, culminating in being named player of the final in the Redbacks’ first title in 29 years.
He emerged as a likely third seamer in the XI after incumbent Josh Hazlewood’s hamstring injury for NSW saw him join captain Pat Cummins (back) on the sidelines, with fellow squad member Sean Abbott also succumbing to injury.
As expected, Marnus Labuschagne’s dominant start to the summer across all formats will see him return to his customary No.3 spot, with Green moving back to No.6 after returning to the Test team at first drop for June’s World Test Championship final, and then in the subsequent series in the West Indies.
England named a 12-man reduced squad for the first Test earlier in the week, with the only expected call to be made on whether to pick spinner Shoaib Bashir or include seamer Brydon Carse in a four-man pace attack for an expected fast Optus Stadium pitch.
Australia’s first Ashes Test XI (expected)
Usman Khawaja, Jake Weatherald, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith (c), Travis Head, Cameron Green, Alex Carey (wk), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Scott Boland, Brendan Doggett.
The Roarhttps://https://ift.tt/QlLJjBa: Two debutants set for baptism of fire, brutal all-rounder call as Australian first Ashes Test XI emerges
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