Cricket Australia (CA) has announced the Australia XI for the opening Test of the upcoming Ashes 2025-26 series against England, starting on Friday, November 21 at the Perth Stadium in Perth, with two talented young players making their debut.
Jake Weatherald and Brendan Doggett are all set to make their Test debuts in the first Ashes Test against England in Perth.
However, Beau Webster failed to make the final eleven. Cameron Green’s successful return to bowling meant Australia went with four frontline bowlers.
Jake Weatherald and Brendan Doggett set for Ashes debut in Perth
The decision may come as a surprise, as captain Pat Cummins and star fast bowler Josh Hazlewood will be unavailable due to injuries. Well, Green’s fitness solved their bowling conundrum, allowing the team management to favor a combination of pace and spin without adding additional bowling options.
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Marnus Labuschagne returns to his preferred No. 3 spot after an impressive start to the domestic season with Queensland, while veteran spinner Nathan Lyon has been recalled after being dropped for the West Indies Test when Australia fielded an all-out pace attack in the day-night Test.
Baggy Green milestones in Ashes 2025-26
Meanwhile, the first match of the five-match Test series will witness a historic moment as two players will earn their first baggy greens in the same Test. The last time this happened was against Sri Lanka in 2019, when Kurtis Patterson and Jhye Richardson made their Test debut.
However, this would be a rare example in the Ashes, as Usman Khawaja and Michael Beer were the only pair to make their Ashes debut in the same game during the 2010–11 series at the SCG.
Well, Brendan Doggett’s Test debut is particularly significant, as it will be the first time Australia will field two home-grown players in the Test XI.
The 31-year-old fast bowler has been in red-hot form for South Australia since returning from a hamstring injury earlier this season, taking 13 wickets at an average of just 14.69. Doggett has 190 wickets to his name in 50 FC matches so far.
On the other hand, Jake Weatherald will open the innings with Usman Khawaja in Perth. He has been preparing thoroughly before taking part in Australia’s final optional training session, doing visualization exercises and shadow batting in the middle of the Perth stadium.
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Unlucky as Beau Webster, Jake Weatherald and Cameron Green look set to shine for Australia
Left-handed batsman and alternate leg spinner Weatherald has so far scored 5322 runs in 77 FC matches with the help of 13 centuries and 26 fifties.
Unfortunately, Beau Webster, who plays alongside Wetherald for Tasmania, will feel unlucky to miss out. Since making his debut against India at the SCG earlier this year, Webster has scored four half-centuries in seven Test matches, all in challenging batting conditions.
Although the star all-rounder has been an average batsman so far in the Sheffield Shield, he impressed with eight wickets against South Australia.
Additionally, after batting at number 3 and number 4 in the West Indies, Cameron Green returned to number 6, where he began his Test career, after a back injury had ruled him out of the previous season.
Josh Inglis and Michael Neser are the other two players left out of the 14-player squad. Inglis is expected to play for CA XI against England Lions while the first Test is underway.
Australia’s playing eleven for the first Ashes Test against England: Usman Khawaja, Jake Weatherald, Marnus Labuschagne, Steven Smith (c), Travis Head, Cameron Green, Alex Carey (wk), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Scott Boland, Brendon Doggett.
