Weatherald and Doggett make their Ashes Test debuts

Weatherald and Doggett make their Ashes Test debuts

The Ashes: Australia vs England: Opening batter Jake Weatherald and pace bowler Brendan Doggett will make their debuts for Australia in the first Ashes clash in Perth on Friday, 21st November.

Jake Weatherald and Brendan Doggett will play their first-ever Test for Australia in the opening Ashes match at Perth Stadium. Beau Webster has been dropped from the playing XI to make space.

Cameron Green’s return as a bowler helped finalise the team. Even though Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood are not playing, the selectors decided to go with four main bowlers plus Green, who bowled 16 overs in the recent Sheffield Shield match.

Green will bat again at number 6, where he started his Test career. He had been batting at No. 3 and 4 earlier, but with his bowling workload increasing, the team feels No. 6 is better for now.

Steve Smith said the batting order is flexible and Green might move up again in the future.

Marnus Labuschagne returns to his usual No. 3 position after scoring heavily for Queensland this season. Nathan Lyon also comes back into the team after missing the Jamaica Test where Australia played an all-pace attack.

This is the first time since 2019 that Australia is giving two Test debuts in the same match, and the first time in an Ashes Test since 2010–11.

Doggett replaces the injured Hazlewood and becomes one of two Indigenous players in the XI a first in Australian Test history. He has taken 13 wickets at 14.69 this season and has impressed the team in the nets with his pace, seam, and accuracy.

Weatherald, on the other hand, becomes Usman Khawaja’s sixth new opening partner since David Warner retired. He trained hard at Perth Stadium, facing only bowlers and no side-arm throwdowns. Smith praised his courage and strong technique, saying he deserved selection after his good performances over the past 18 months.

Since Weatherald has never played international cricket before, England will be studying him closely. Ben Stokes said they have all the information on him but will see how he performs in the match.

Beau Webster, who has done well in tough conditions since his debut, is unlucky to miss out. He had a quiet run in the Sheffield Shield recently, despite taking eight wickets last week.

Josh Inglis will play for the CA XI against England Lions during the Test, and Michael Neser is also left out from the 14-man.

Australia XI for first Ashes Test

Usman Khawaja, Jake Weatherald, Marnus Labuschagne, Steven Smith (capt), Travis Head, Cameron Green, Alex Carey (wk), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Scott Boland, Brendan Doggett