A significant piece of news has been released by the Australian team lately, just before the first Ashes Test in Perth, announcing the official playing XI of the team. Steve Smith, the captain for the first Test as Pat Cummins is unavailable, has chosen a combination of seasoned players and new blood.
The most remarkable aspect of it all is the presence of two debutants, Jake Weatherald and Brendan Doggett who are going to play Test cricket for the first time at 31 years of age for Australia. Australia has trusted its domestic players with the chance, and now both are getting their long-dreamed chance on one of the fastest pitches worldwide.
Australia’s lineup seems to be well balanced with Smith, Khawaja, Head, Starc, and Lyon being the main early bowlers and Weatherald’s opening position creating a different approach. Doggett, a fast bowler who pitches the ball hard on the ground, will be among those lucky to get the bounce of the pitch at Perth. The new combination of Australia will seek to get an early strike in the series and put themselves ahead 1-0 in the Ashes.
Australia’s Playing XI for the First Test
Jake Weatherald, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith (c), Travis Head, Cameron Green, Alex Carey (wk), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Brendan Doggett, Scott Boland
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As per the reports, Australia got this XI according to the characteristics of the Perth surface which always rips off the pacers and the likes of the swing bowlers. The selection of Doggett is due to his capacity to produce steep bounce; on the other hand, Boland is still in the playing XI because of his reliability in Test cricket. Weatherald, the left-handed opener, caught the attention in the domestic competition and has been rewarded for his performance.
By saying that both debutants deserved their place due to long and hard-working years, Steve Smith proclaimed that Perth was the perfect venue to put them on trial. Australia is going to depend on Starc, Boland, and Doggett to produce the frontline attack against the England opening batsmen, while Lyon will be setting the pace in the middle overs with his know-how.
This XI also reflects the team’s attitude of preferring experience over age, since both new players are 31 yet have very good first-class records. Although the Ashes is one of the most intense competitions in world cricket, Australia certainly wants to have players who can handle pressure and are ready to make contributions right away.
The first Test at Perth gets underway tomorrow, and now that this XI has been confirmed, the excitement has reached new heights. The supporters at home will be eager to witness the performance of the new opening duo and if Doggett with his extra bounce from the Optus Stadium will be a concern for the English batsmen.
Written By:- Manjunath S