🔗 Share this article

The time for before the Ashes talk and selection guesses is almost finished following Australia announced a 15-player lineup to take on England in the first Test. The larger lineup for the initial game points to the requirement for cool temperaments during the heated battle, with Jake Weatherald named for the debut in place of aggressive opener Sam Konstas.

But with the batsman returning to form and the remaining new members being a pair of fast bowling reserves, there is a known quality to the squad despite the absence of injured skipper Pat Cummins. Following is the way every player (presented in A-Z sequence) will face the aggressive bravado, with a rating out of five indicating their likely influence on the campaign beginning on 21 November.

1. Sean Abbott

The veteran fast bowler is again selected as a reserve after being a consistent presence in the white-ball teams in the past few years. With Cummins's return remaining unknown, and the remaining front-line attackers confronting a gruelling fixture list, the 33-year-old will aim to sustain his strong performances to stay in consideration for a Test debut. ★☆☆☆☆

2. Scott Boland

Among the top fast bowler in Australia has turned into a focus for England for his modest performances during the 2023 Ashes as much as for his reserved personality away from the field. Yet the veteran has claimed 62 wickets at an bowling average of 16.53 – including a hat-trick in his latest Test against West Indies – and has being a force at this level and can welcome the uncommon chance to start a campaign in the opener. ★★★☆☆

Third. Alex Carey

The main gloveman is returning in the intense atmosphere of an contest hoping to impress with the bat and his gloves, as much as for his involvement in a memorable moment when dismissing the English batsman at Lord's in the last series. The 34-year-old is now a much more composed batter whether needed to score quickly or guide the lower-order with a match-turning innings. ★★★★☆

4. Brendan Doggett

The South Australia paceman has been on the fringes of the national team across the last few matches and is back following taking a solid haul – including 11 in the last match – at an bowling average of 24.15 in last summer’s Sheffield Shield. An first appearance is currently possible as the captain is sidelined and the front-line fast bowlers get ready for a intense five-match series in seven weeks. ★☆☆☆☆

5. Cameron Green

The acclaimed all-rounder had been earmarked for the Test team from an early stage in his journey even amid fitness issues, and the time has come for him to make a major contribution to a pivotal contest. The youngster was the standout of the top-order players while batting at first drop in challenging conditions in the West Indies but might be preferred in the order to make sure he can also assist the pace attack. Whether he can realistically be picked as a genuine all-rounder in Perth, or might have to be trusted to deliver more spells during the series, might be determined in the domestic match soon. ★★★☆☆

Sixth. Josh Hazlewood

The accurate seamer is at the height of his abilities following carrying the limited-overs attack and fine-tuning for the contest during matches against the Indian team. The veteran’s steady line and length, and touch of movement whether it be seam movement or in the air, is certain to challenge the England's aggressive method to batting, with the persistent question if Hazlewood can feature in four or perhaps as many as all five matches. ★★★★☆

Seventh. Travis Head

The aggressive batsman is critical to the team's hopes of taking the game up to the opposition with his aggressive intent and tendency to clobber huge runs as the stakes increase. A couple of hundreds against India last summer, and the similar the previous occasion the English visited for a full series point to his abilities, while the 31-year-old has a talent of finding a breakthrough wicket with his occasional but underestimated off-spin. ★★★★★

8. Josh Inglis

The reserve keeper in the squad demonstrated that he should also be considered as a pure batter when scoring a hundred at more than a run-a-ball on his first appearance in Sri Lanka. The 30-year-old is most comfortable batting in the middle-order though he has demonstrated while leading the team in limited-overs matches that he has the versatility to bat earlier, which could fit a regular role as the replacement. ★★☆☆☆

Ninth. Usman Khawaja

The veteran remains even amid calls for a transition at the top of the order after strengthening his grip on the first wicket with a double century in the subcontinent earlier this year. But following being one of many batters unable to deal with the Indian the paceman last summer, the 38-year-old needs a good start against the English pace cartel in what might be his final campaign to make sure he can make the call personally on when to retire the baggy green. ★★☆☆☆

10. Marnus Labuschagne

The ex top-ranked batsman has left behind a poor run and the indignity of being dropped in the past to force his way again into the national team – and surely the playing eleven to feature in the first Test. His outstanding form with five hundreds in his last eight knocks could give the team management the assurance to back him to open if needed with the opener, although the batsman is more likely to worry England when batting at his preferred first-drop. ★★★★☆

11. Nathan Lyon

The off-spinner became as famous for his absence as his wicket-taking performances following a calf injury in the second match helped turn the contest when Australia toured the UK in the last series. The 37-year-old failed to deliver the home campaign he would have wanted against India with only nine wickets last summer but recovered to be critical to the team's clean sweeps in the subcontinent and the West Indies. ★★★☆☆

Twelfth. Steve Smith (captain)

The Australian batting great will take over to captain the team until C