The Bazball renaissance has been led by a pair of Antipodeans, but England believe their lack of familiarity with Australia will benefit a team regarded as having the best chance to win back the Ashes urn on these shores for the first time in 15 years.
The visitors today named a 12-man squad for Perth’s series opener with Mark Wood firming to play having bowled some lively spells at practice after experiencing hamstring soreness during England’s tour match last week.
Spinner Shoaib Bashir has been included over allrounder Will Jacks, but he is no certainty to play with Brydon Carse a chance to complete an all-seam attack along with Wood, Gus Atkinson, Jofra Archer and captain Ben Stokes. Ollie Pope has kept Jacob Bethell at bay from the No.3 berth.
England XII for first Test: Ben Stokes (c), Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Shoaib Bashir, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Jamie Smith (wk), Mark Wood
Stokes, the New Zealand-born talisman who has masterminded England’s resurgence as a Test force along with coach and fellow Kiwi Brendon McCullum, is one of just five tourists who have played a Test before in Australia.
Former captain Joe Root, pace spearhead Wood and batters Zak Crawley and Pope are the only other others in the mix to take to the field on Friday who have experienced the Ashes down under.
There could be some parallels drawn with England’s last successful Ashes touring team in 2010-11 when just six of the 13 players used had previously played in Australia during the 2006-07 whitewash.
“There’s a few of us who haven’t really played many Test matches in Australia,” Atkinson said on Wednesday.
“So there are no scars for me. For some others, I wouldn’t speak for them, but history would say it’s probably a good thing.
“We’ve obviously got a lot of players who have played a lot (in Australia) in ‘Rooty’ and Stokes. So we can speak to them if needed. But I do think it’s a good thing that a few of us are coming in with not too much experience.”
England may be poised to unleash a five-pronged pace brigade in Perth, with Stokes’ men boasting comfortably the fastest bowling attack they have brought to Australia this century.
Of them, only Wood played in the 2021-22 Ashes, which did not feature a Test in Perth due to Western Australia’s tough Covid border restrictions.
The 16-man squad does have significant experience playing other forms of cricket in Australia. All but six have played in the KFC BBL, while the likes of Wood, Atkinson, Bashir, Crawley and Ben Duckett have played club cricket.
On the fast-bowling front, Australia’s Mitchell Starc is not so sure England’s unfamiliarity with local conditions will be beneficial.
“There’s probably a few guys with less experience playing in Australia, particularly the bowling attack,” said Starc.
“We know a lot of talk has been about how fast they’re bowling, and they’ve got five or six guys who can bowl quick. I’m not sure any of them have played a Test match in Australia – certainly at this ground anyway.
“We’ve seen how they’ve played their cricket. We’ve had a few meetings so far, and we’ve spoken about how this series is going to pan out for us.”
Atkinson, who can touch the 140kph mark but whose success at Test level has been largely down to his accuracy and seam movement, believes Australian pitches will suit him.
“I haven’t watched loads,” he said when asked about recent Test series in Australia.
“You hear about it in the past, and you say, ‘pace, pace, pace and all that’. But (I’m) hearing lately there’s a bit more seam movement.
“For me personally it’s nice to hear about seam movement out here, it’s something I’m looking forward to.”
2025-26 NRMA Insurance Men’s Ashes
First Test: November 21-25, Perth Stadium, 1:20pm AEDT
Second Test: December 4-8, The Gabba, Brisbane (D/N), 3pm AEDT
Third Test: December 17-21: Adelaide Oval, 10:30am AEDT
Fourth Test: December 26-30: MCG, Melbourne, 10:30am AEDT
Fifth Test: January 4-8: SCG, Sydney, 10:30am AEDT
Australia squad (first Test only): Steve Smith (c), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Brendan Doggett, Cameron Green, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Michael Neser, Mitchell Starc, Jake Weatherald, Beau Webster
England squad: Ben Stokes (c), Harry Brook (vc), Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Shoaib Bashir, Jacob Bethell, Brydon Carse, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Will Jacks, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts, Joe Root, Jamie Smith (wk), Josh Tongue, Mark Wood
