Talking Cricket: The XI Australia should pick for the first 2025/26 Ashes Test in Perth

Babar Azam's continued woes for Pakistan against South Africa, the West Indies seemingly unable to get New Zealand's Daryl Mitchell out or the USA hammering the UAE by 243-runs in their meeting. Each will have likely slipped through the cracks for many, but one thing that will be highlighted, circled and underlined in the calendars of most cricket fans is The Ashes. 

The 2025/26 Ashes will begin on November 21st as England travel to Perth to take on Australia. 

Despite there being mere days between now and the start of the series, question marks hang over both teams. For Australia, personnel is the big issue, with key positions in their line-up still up for debate heading into the series. 

With Australia naming their 15-man squad for the first Test, we have brought together our starting XI for the clash in Perth. 

While his performances did dip as he edged towards retirement with 2022 and 2023 fairly lean by his standards, having a settled opener is something that can often make or break a Test side. 

Usman Khawaja is one half of the opening pair, but at 38, Australia will likely be looking for an entirely new opening pair before long. This is a problem for a post-2025/26 Ashes Australia, though. 

Sam Konstas had been the man that was being blooded for the position, but he has been dropped entirely from the squad for the first Test. With just 50 runs scored in six innings across their tour of the West Indies, Konstas' place in the side was untenable, for now anyway. 

Both Marnus Labuschagne and Jake Weatherald have been included in the squad, and with Cam Green likely to fill a batting-only brief at three, it means that this is not as simple as Weatherald opening and Labuschagne slotting back in at his favoured number three spot. 

The worry for Labuschagne and Australia will be that his performances have been steadily dipping in the Test game for some time. His average of 67.17 in 2020 was as good as it got for the batter, but he has steadily dipped down to an average of 16.17 in 2025. More worrying still is his average of 19.50 when opening in comparison to 48.84 at number three. 

The Australian selectors have dug themselves a bit of a hole if they are to use Labuschagne at the top of the order. If Labuschagne is to fail, fingers will be pointed, with questions over decisions made since Warner's retirement brought up.

Labuschagne is a world class batter, but he is not an opener. If he fails, most will point to his average opening along with his lean run in 2025. 

For Weatherald, opening in an Ashes series would be a baptism of fire like no other. Uncapped by Australia to this point, facing up to the likes of Jofra Archer or Mark Wood with a shiny new ball on day one is not something many experienced Test batters would fare well against, let alone an uncapped player. 

For Konstas, time will likely be his friend. At 20-years-old, he has a long career ahead of him. Five Tests to this point will not likely make or break his time in the Australian set-up, although it has more than likely cost him his chance of appearing in the 2025/26 Ashes series. 

With only five Tests under his belt, retaining him instead of the in-form Weatherald promotes a player out of touch with little experience over a man in red-hot form looking to make an impact. Will his form domestically be enough to see him take his place in the starting XI? 

In my eyes, better the devil you know. As mentioned, Labuschagne is a world class batter, and while he has not done well opening the batting for Australia, he is at least tested at Test level. 

The big question arises with regard to Cameron Green's fitness. There are questions over whether he will be included as a batter or an all-rounder. If Green is unable to fulfil his allocated overs, then he will likely slot in at three as a specialist batsman. 

If this is the case, Beau Webster's place in the team becomes more solid as an all-round player. This would then mean Labuschagne would be unable to play at three, seeing the slot of opener become a straight shootout between Labuschagne and Weatherald, which we would expect the former to win.  

If Green is included as an all-rounder, which I am sceptical of, then he would likely slot in further down the order, likely in place of Webster. This would then see number three open up, with Weatherald partnering Khawaja and Labuschagne returning in his favoured position. 

However, as close as we are to the start of the series, there must be serious doubts of Green's ability to bowl his overs right now. This simply means I predict he will be utilised as a specialist batter, meaning Webster will play at six. 

From there, you have the consistent choice in Alex Carey, who I expect to keep wicket and provide runs at number seven. 

My picks for the four-man specialist bowling attack are Mitchell Starc, Scott Boland, Nathan Lyon and Josh Hazlewood. Boland is likely the player that will benefit from Cummins' absence, and he has a big chance to stake his claim for a spot in the second Test. 

The bowling unit itself is arguably the most consistent part of the team. There is pace, control and fire in the seamers, while Nathan Lyon is a master of using the rough to get as much out of the pitch as possible, while he can also hold down an end when needed. 

While there are some major question marks over who will play and where, this is still a very good Australian side. 

England will arrive looking to make a big statement in game one, and they will be confident with Australia missing Cummins and because of the uncertainty at the top of the order. However, Australian sides always turn up for an Ashes series, and this is doubly true for a home series. 

Whoever gets to pull on the whites and baggy green will not need any reason to give 100% for their nation as they look to once again humiliate their oldest rivals on home soil.