Last Updated on 4 months ago by Charbel Coorey

A year ago, questions were rife about the possible Australia XI for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against India. Who opens? Who bats at six? Should the Aussies play who they perceive to be ‘the best six batters in the country’ even if it means players are out of position?

Fast forward 365 days and Australia face similar questions despite winning all three bilateral Test assignments since. Who partners Usman Khawaja is a hot topic of debate as many question if the 38-year-old should even play. Whether Australia can fit two all-rounders is another talking point, which would almost certainly mean shifting players around in the batting order.

In a huge series like the Ashes, setting up the order so players bat in their specialist positions is vital. With that in mind, here is the XI Australia should go with for the Perth Test (with Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood out).

Why Australia should go with this XI for the first 2025/26 Ashes Test

1. Usman Khawaja

Australia have basically confirmed Usman Khawaja is a lock. So, is there any point debating otherwise at this stage?

However, Australia run the risk of carrying Khawaja in a series where fast bowling will play a huge role. Since the 2023 World Test Championship Final, Khawaja averages 28.2 against pace. This drops to 23.7 since the start of 2024 and 19.1 this year.

England will no doubt test Khawaja on a length in the channel. The left-hander has often been left squaring up and edging behind. Can he overcome this trend? Time will tell.

2. Jake Weatherald

Given Khawaja is set to feature, Australia must consider who best complements him. Jake Weatherald can be the perfect foil, with his proactive style allowing Khawaja to settle in at the other end.

Of course, Weatherald is deserving of selection for reasons greater than just complementing Khawaja. The left-hander has been the premier batsman in the Sheffield Shield since the start of last season, with 1,142 runs at an average of 51.91. This includes three half-centuries in four innings to start the 2025/26 season, with his 99-ball 94 on a Hobart greentop against Western Australia particularly impressive.

His strike rate of 69.63 in his past 22 Shield innings is another hot selling point as he can put the English bowlers under pressure and set the tone.

3. Marnus Labuschagne

In an exclusive interview for CricBlog, Kerry O’Keeffe revealed Marnus Labuschagne’s mindset after he was dropped from the Test team earlier this year.

“Everybody is talking, what do we do with Marnus? Well, I sense that he’ll stay in the team because he’s told friends of mine at the start of the season; ‘what will you do, Marnie, if the selectors terminate your Test career?’ He said, “Oh, they won’t because I’ll score so many runs in the pre-series that they won’t be able to ignore me,'” O’Keeffe said.

Labuschagne’s mindset has been on display. He has enjoyed a dream start to the season, notching up two centuries in as many Sheffield Shield matches, along with two centuries in three One Day Cup matches. He looks more proactive at the crease, with the intention of scoring runs rather than playing for survival.

Australia need to strike while the iron is hot with Weatherald, and the same applies with Marnus. However, Labuschagne must bat at three as that is where is he does his best work. Shifting him to opener to fit two all-rounders can prove detrimental.

Steve Smith (c)

A given. The great Steve Smith returned to his best last summer, with four hundreds in five Tests against India and Sri Lanka.

There is talk of whether Smith should move to three to allow both Cameron Green and Beau Webster to play. Smith has an outstanding record at three (average of 67.07 in 17 innings), but he has not batted first drop since 2017.

Also, Smith is a magnificent fill in as captain if Cummins is ruled out of any action. “His record as captain is superior with the bat than it is as a player,” O’Keeffe said last week. “There’s lots of pluses, even though the minus is Pat Cummins not being there. The fact that Smith is the likely captain adds more than Cummins’ loss to this team.”

Travis Head

Another given. Setting a platform for Travis Head is crucial given the damage he can cause. However, the left-hander is also an excellent counterattacking player as he showed in the 2021/22 Brisbane and Hobart Ashes Tests. He won man of the series with his 357 runs.

Beau Webster or Cameron Green

This selection depends on who is fit and ready to go in the coming weeks. Both have their injury worries, with Beau Webster missing the first two Sheffield Shield matches due to an ankle injury. Cameron Green has only just started bowling again in competitive cricket after a serious back injury, and he has now picked up a minor side issue that has ruled him out of the India ODIs.

Both are capable of producing with the bat at number six. Webster has scored four important half-centuries this year alone. However, the amount of quality overs Webster or Green can deliver is vital, too. In the Border-Gavaskar Trophy last year, Australia suffered at times with Mitch Marsh unable to bowl.

ALSO READ: Analysis: Why Cameron Green was struggling at number three during the West Indies series

Alex Carey (wk)

A lock. A series of this nature may require another important Alex Carey innings or two, as he done so numerous times for Australia.

Mitchell Starc

After decimating the West Indies earlier this year, Mitchell Starc is primed for a big first two Tests. The left-arm quick has 26 wickets at 21.62 apiece in five Tests at Perth’s Optus Stadium. The second Test? A day/nighter in Brisbane. Starc’s record with the pink ball? 81 wickets at 17.29.

Nathan Lyon

This is a more contentious selection, especially if the Optus Stadium track heavily favours pace. However, Lyon has often done a magnificent job in holding an end for Australia. Also, Lyon can trouble the England batsmen with the bounce he generates off home tracks, including the likes of Ollie Pope who tends to play with low hands.

Lyon has 29 wickets in five Tests at Optus at an average of 20.86.

Scott Boland

There is optimism among England fans and pundits that Pat Cummins’ absence can swing the pendulum in their favour. Michael Vaughan believes England become favourites. Michael Atherton points to Boland’s under-par performances in the 2023 Ashes as a source of confidence for Ben Stokes’ team.

However, Boland in Australian conditions is a different proposition. Boland, who picked up another man of the match award in their October Shield match against New South Wales, has 49 Test wickets at an average of 12.63 in Australia.

England, take Boland lightly at your own peril.

Brendan Doggett

Brendan Doggett is next in line and rightly so. In his last 20 First Class matches, Doggett has taken 98 wickets at an average of 21.41. This includes 11 wickets in a man of the match performance in the 2024/25 Sheffield Shield.

All statistics and figures have been checked and verified via ESPNcricinfo, Howstat and Cricmetric stats