1. Usman Khawaja: Khawaja should get the nod even after a shaky recent history. His top notch average of 48 in Australia should be easily enough for him to hold his spot. He will hope to give a sense of calm to whoever the other opener will be as the options are either very inexperienced at the level or new to the opening position. Khawaja’s place however could be in strife if he has a very slow start to this Ashes campaign.
2. Marnus Labuschagne: After a dominant start to the Sheffield Shield season it seems as if Labuschagne will begin the Ashes as Khawaja’s partner. He is averaging a ridiculous 67 to start the Shield season, leading all run scorers with 402 in just six innings. It will be very hard to leave Labuschagne out of the side especially considering at his best he was one of the top batters in not just Australian cricket but internationally. Jake Weatherald is very stiff to miss but based on form to begin the Shield season he should be biding his time.
3. Cameron Green: Green is one of the most promising Australian talents and it would be a massive shame to leave him out of the Australian side. Green has had a solid start to the shield season but it is massively encouraging that he should be able to bowl a heavy workload. He has shown so much potential already in his young career, and after missing last season with an injury he should be fresh and ready to tear apart the English pace attack.
4. Steve Smith (c): There is not much to say about Smith who is the easiest inclusion into the team. He will be hoping to dominate the Ashes in Australia and get back to his best which he has struggled with over the last few home seasons. If Australia are to win the ashes Smith needs to be an anchor for this Australian batting line-up.
5. Travis Head: Another very obvious pick – Head has been a dominant force in Australia with an average of 51 and a strike rate of 70. Head has been Australia’s chief destroyer in the middle and they will be counting on him to score runs at a healthy rate with Australia’s top 4 occasionally struggling to put immediate pressure back on the bowlers.
6. Beau Webster: His position in the team seems to be dependent on the battle for who will open. Webster has struggled with the bat to start the season in the Sheffield Shield but after a promising first Test in Sydney against India and his strong bowling performances he should be included. Webster has shown a similar ability to Head to push the score along nicely and can be a dangerous player if given a strong platform to launch but also has a nice temperament and can bat long periods if needed.
Beau Webster. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images for Cricket Australia)
7. Alex Carey: He is another shoo-in. Carey somehow always seems to perform best when the Australians are in trouble and with very clean and sharp glove work and a healthy average of 35 he will continue to be the first choice keeper. Similar to Head and Webster, Carey always manages to put pressure back on the bowlers and if a strong platform can be provided he should be able to have a massive Ashes.
8. Mitchell Starc: His experience should be invaluable for a relatively inexperienced fast bowling attack for the first time in quite a while. Starc’s ability to break through with the new ball should be vital against an English team who can pile runs on rapidly if they can survive early pressure. Starc’s batting will also be very helpful without Pat Cummins being available as the last three batters don’t have the greatest batting averages.
9. Brendan Doggett: He should debut in Perth after showing his class at the Shield level over multiple seasons now. In only two games this Shield season, he has taken 13 wickets at an average of just 15, showing his incredible form and he was the obvious choice to replace the injured Josh Hazelwood.
10. Scott Boland: With news of skipper Pat Cummins missing at least the first Test, Boland was the logical replacement for the Aussies. Boland has a phenomenal record with an average of just 16.5 from his first 14 Tests, including a hat-trick in his most recent series against the West Indies. Boland’s ability to consistently hit a length and challenge the Batters should be vitally important against an English team that love to score at a rapid rate with their Bazball technique getting the better of Boland in England where there is less bounce.
11. Nathan Lyon: Another very obvious choice – Lyon is in line for another summer as Australia’s lead spinner. Lyon should play a crucial role in the first few Tests with Australia missing Cummins and Hazelwood. Lyon has a chance to do some real damage this series as Bazball has often aimed to take on spinners, meaning Lyon’s overs could be make or break in some massive moments of this Ashes.
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