The Ashes 2025-26: Jake Weatherald and Brendan Doggett anded Test Debuts as Australia Drops Beau Webster
Jake Weatherald and Brendan Doggett will make their Test debuts as Australia drops Beau Webster from the starting XI for the Ashes opener at Optus Stadium.
Australian skipper Steve Smith is expected to confirm the bold selection move, which sees two debutants in the same Test for the first time since 2019.
Weatherald, 31, will open the batting alongside Usman Khawaja, allowing Marnus Labuschagne to return to his preferred No.3 position. Cameron Green will reclaim the traditional all-rounder role at No.6.
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Before the team announcement, former Test great Adam Gilchrist backed Weatherald to partner Khawaja at the top of the order.
“(Marnus) has been just so impressive,” Gilchrist said. “He’s done absolutely everything you could possibly ask of a player being dropped. His position is three, so I would rather see him at three and Jake at the top.”
Labuschagne’s five centuries in seven matches for Queensland at No.3 this domestic season all but cemented his return to first drop.
The reshuffle likely spells bad luck for Webster, who appears set to lose his place at No.6 to Green.
“It’s a tough call on Webster if he misses out, but that’s top-level cricket,” Gilchrist said. “I played in an era where we could’ve had a number of guys picked in the first XI and they just had to wait. They got their chance and stepped up beautifully like Webster has, but that’s the nature of the game.”
AUSTRALIA XI: Jake Weatherald, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith (capt), Travis Head, Cameron Green, Alex Carey, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Scott Boland, Brendan Doggett.
With Newswire
