Tasmanian opener Jake Weatherald has earned his maiden Test call-up, named in Australia’s squad for the first Ashes Test alongside the in-form Marnus Labuschagne.

Speaking to reporters on the Gold Coast on Wednesday, chief selector George Bailey revealed Australia’s 15-player squad for the Ashes series opener in Perth, which included reserve quicks Brendan Doggett and Sean Abbott alongside spare wicketkeeper Josh Inglis.

Opener Sam Konstas has been dropped, while Queensland batter Matthew Renshaw was unlucky to miss selection considering his recent white-ball form.

The first Ashes Test between Australia and England gets underway at Perth Stadium on November 21.

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‘Will see him in the Baggy Green one day | 20:12

WHY GREEN’S SHIELD TARGET IS CRUCIAL

Chief of selectors George Bailey has confirmed the fitness of all-rounder Cameron Green will help determine the balance of Australia’s starting XI for the first Ashes Test at Perth Stadium.

Since returning from back surgery earlier this year, the West Australian has only bowled four overs in professional cricket, playing as a specialist batter during last week’s Sheffield Shield clash against South Australia at the WACA due to a side complaint. However, the 26-year-old is expected to return to bowling for Western Australia’s upcoming Sheffield Shield match against Queensland in Perth next Monday.

If Green was not available as a fully-fledged all-rounder for the series opener against England, it would open the door for opener Jake Weatherald to potentially make his Test debut and Beau Webster to retain his spot at No. 6, with the Tasmanian providing back-up for Australia’s pace attack.

Speaking to reporters on the Gold Coast on Wednesday morning, chief selector George Bailey declared that Green was aiming to bowl 15-20 overs in the Sheffield Shield this week to prove his fitness.

“I imagine he’ll hit that, and that’s pretty close to what you need from your all-rounder,” Bailey said.

“Then obviously we’re still three weeks away from that first Test, so he can continue to build on that.”

Bailey also flagged that Green could still potentially play as a specialist batter if required, adding there’s “no reason why” he and fellow all-rounder Webster couldn’t be in the same starting XI.

Speaking to reporters at the SCG earlier on Wednesday morning, former Australian captain Steve Waugh expressed concern about Green’s fitness and workloads ahead of the marquee series.

“I assume he won’t be bowling much,” Waugh said.

“You can’t just go from not bowling at all and expect to bowl 10 or 15 overs in a Test match, that’s going to be tough.

“I don’t think he can bowl 10 or 15 overs at this stage.”

Waugh takes swipe at Bailey | 10:16

Waugh added that Green was “definitely” good enough to play as a specialist batter, but cautioned against the right-hander slotting in at No. 3.

“I think down the order is probably right for him at the moment. I think he goes at the ball a little bit too hard (to bat in) the top three,” Waugh continued.

“But he’s a quality player. He’s potentially been our best all-rounder for a long, long time.

“He’s good enough to score runs. He’s scored Test match hundreds.

“He’s played enough Test matches now to be comfortable in that environment. I think he can do well.”

He added: “(Green’s) a quality bowler too. He’s a much better bowler than I was. He’s definitely got the potential to be a genuine all-rounder, which we haven’t had probably since Alan Davidson or Keith Miller.

“He’s got that in him if he gets his body right.”

NEW GUINEA PIG IN AUSSIE MERRY-GO-ROUND

The game of musical chairs continues.

Australia has cycled through an assortment of Test openers since David Warner’s retirement at the start of last year, with teenager Sam Konstas, middle-order specialists Steve Smith and Nathan McSweeney each getting a brief stint at the top of the order.

However, none of them lasted more than a handful of matches in the role — Smith dropped back down the order after five Tests, McSweeney was axed after three attempts against India, while Konstas slipped in and out of the side following his unforgettable debut at the MCG.

Marnus: Australia axeing “had to happen” | 01:45

The latest guinea pig will be either the uncapped Jake Weatherald, or the in-form Marnus Labuschagne; one of which will be tasked with taming Jofra Archer and Mark Wood in the Ashes furnace, surviving the new ball, and building a platform Australia’s star-studded middle order.

However, it remains to be seen whether the chosen opener will be assured all five Tests to prove their worth at the top of order, or if the national selectors once again chop and change throughout the series.

The answer might pend on results. Australia is unlikely to tinker with the starting XI too much if the hosts take an early lead in the series, but Bailey could be pressured to swing the axe if England steals an early victory.

Asked about the prospect of Labuschagne opening in the Ashes, Bailey replied: “If required, I think he can do it.”

UNCAPPED DUO IN AUSSIE PACE CARTEL

Brendan Doggett and Sean Abbott have been named as the reserve quicks in Australia’s Ashes squad for the first Test, but that doesn’t assure either of them a baggy green.

Australian captain Pat Cummins has already been ruled out of the series opener against England at Perth Stadium, while there’s a decent chance he won’t be available for the second Test at the Gabba, which commences on December 4.

Bailey confirmed there was no clear timeline on Cummins’ return

“He bowled yesterday, he’ll bowl again today,” Bailey said.

The ever-reliable Scott Boland is expected to replace Cummins in the starting XI for the Perth Test, forming a trio alongside superstars Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood.

But should a change be needed due to injury or workload management, it would open the door for either Doggett or Abbott makes their Test debut during the blockbuster series.

However, there are lengthy gaps between the first three Tests in Perth, Brisbane and Adelaide, giving Boland, Starc and Hazlewood additional time to recover between matches.

Elsewhere, Australian decks have recently favoured seam bowlers, resulting in multiple four-day — or even three-day — Test matches; if that trend continues this summer, there will be even less need for bowler rotation.

Doggett insists he’ll be ready for Ashes | 01:06

Meanwhile, if national selectors pursue a horses-for-courses selection policy, swing maestros Michael Neser and Fergus O’Neill may come into consideration for the day-night Test at the Gabba courtesy of their potential threat with the pink Kookaburra. Bailey confirmed conditions will influence selection throughout the Ashes.

Pending their recovery, Cummins and Jhye Richardson could also be parachuted into the Test squad during the second half of the series.

Hazlewood has rarely remained fit for an entire five-Test summer, while Boland has recently suffered foot and ankle setbacks.

But even if Doggett and Abbott don’t make their Test debut this summer, bowler rotation looms as a necessity ahead of Australia’s packed 2026/27 schedule, headlined by a Test tour of South Africa, a home series against New Zealand, a Border-Gavaskar Trophy campaign in India and an Ashes tour of the United Kingdom.

If they remain patient, the opportunities will come.

‘NOT FULLY CONFIDENT’: NEXT STEPS FOR KONSTAS

Sam Konstas’ Test axing hardly came as a surprise.

While he was the incumbent Test opener, the 20-year-old’s disappointing Frank Worrell Trophy campaign against the West Indies and underwhelming Sheffield Shield form made it difficult to justify his selection.

In fact, the wunderkind managed just 50 runs from his six innings in the Caribbean — leaving his spot in the side well and truly vulnerable.

He started his summer with a century during the Australia A series in India, but national selectors emphasised the subcontinent tour would have no bearing on Ashes selection considering the differing conditions.

Having lost his spot in the Test side, Konstas now has the opportunity to focus on Sheffield Shield cricket and get some runs under his belt.

“I feel for Sammy,” Bailey told reporters.

“At the moment, if he farts, it’s a headline.

“There’s a handful of young guys his age playing Shield cricket around the country, and they’re all learning, they’re all going through a journey of becoming the best cricketer they can be, and Sammy’s no different at that.

“He just happens to be doing it under what seems to be immense scrutiny at the moment.”

Konstas falls ‘agonisingly’ short of 50 | 00:41

Marnus Labuschagne, Usman Khawaja and Steve Smith have each offered their two cents on Konstas over the last fortnight, while former Australian captain Steve Waugh also expressed his thoughts on the Blues youngster.

“I feel a little bit sorry for Sam Konstas, who’s been in and out of the side a bit,” Waugh said.

“It actually reminds me of myself when I first started playing for Australia. Not fully confident of being in the side and form a bit not quite there. He’s probably lacking a bit of confidence.”

He continued: “At the end of the day, it’s really hard to learn how to play Test cricket while you’re playing Test cricket.

“That’s what happened to me for a couple of years. I wasn’t really that finished product.

“I’d go back to Shield cricket, try and build some long innings, bat for as long as you can, and just get to know your game really well, and then you walk out to play for Australia confident in what you’re doing.

“Right now he’s probably guessing how he should play.

“There’s a lot of expectations, so he’s probably not playing with a clear mind.”

PRESSURE AS KHAWAJA’S 39TH BIRTHDAY LOOMS

Usman Khawaja will open the batting at Perth Stadium, but if the veteran struggles against England this summer, the national selectors may be forced to make a brutal call.

The Queenslander, who celebrates his 39th birthday in December, was a revelation when he returned to the Test side in 2022, cracking seven hundreds across an 18-month period.

Khawaja has made three starts from his four first-class innings this spring, including an 87 against New South Wales in his most recent hitout to suggest he is in solid form ahead of November 21 in Perth.

However, the left-hander has been far from his best since the completion of the 2023 Ashes, averaging 32.78 with one century across 18 matches. Not including his marathon double-century against Sri Lanka in Galle, that average slips to 26.35.

Although there aren’t many openers currently banging down the door for a Test call-up, Sam Konstas and Campbell Kellaway headline an exciting crop of youngsters in the next generation of Australian cricket superstars.

Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Waugh called on the national selectors to make some “tough calls” as the Test side approaches a period of transition, warning it will be necessary as Australia enters a new era.

“George Bailey’s going to have to make some tough calls. I think in the past, he’s shown that he hasn’t really had the appetite for that at times,” Waugh said.

“He’s going to have to step up to the plate with the other selectors because it is a time of transition.

He continued: “You just want to make sure that three or four players don’t go out at the same time.

“That leaves a big hole in the team. So, they’ve got to just make sure that it is a transition, but not all at once.”