Ashes 2019 | Australia’s Predicted XI for the first Test at Edgbaston

Openers

David Warner: Having displayed a never-seen-before brittle in the World Cup, David Warner will finally be back in Whites for Australia, 16 months after he thought it would never happen again. With scores of 52, 83, 77, 64 and 85, Warner failed to convert his fifties into big ones in the 2015 Ashes, and without a shadow of doubt, would be looking to go big this time around. One thing’s for sure, even if he manages to convert 1% of the boos he gets into runs, England will be in trouble - big time.  

Cameron Bancroft: Make no mistake, Cameron Bancroft’s feats with the bat post his ban have been remarkable, and he has earned his way back into the side. In the first Shield match post his ban, Bancroft soaked up a total of 621 deliveries to score 138* and 86 in each innings - two marathon knocks that almost saved his side from defeat. After captaining Durham and scoring 726 runs at 45 in the County season, Bancroft capped off his comeback with a match-winning 93* in the warm-up match against Australia. The opener might have gone under the radar, but arguably, is more prepared and determined than any other player heading into the First Test. 

Middle-order

Usman Khawaja: Having missed out on the 2015 Ashes after being dropped from the side and having established himself as a senior member in the Australia batting line-up, Usman Khawaja will be desperate to stamp his authority in the very first match of the Ashes. While his fitness is still a cause for concern, Khawaja would take heart from the fact that he scored 171 runs against the very same English attack the last time he played them in Whites. But at 33 years of age, time is running out for the veteran cricketer, and a failure might see this being his last ever Ashes series. 

Steve Smith: The return of Steve Smith to Test Cricket is almost as poetic as a mother reuniting with her long lost child, and all things assured, the emotions will be the same too. Having seen a precious year of cricket taken away from his life, Smith has been doing everything he possibly could do in lead-up to the Ashes. While his white-ball form might not be oh-so-great, Smith is a completely different animal in red-ball cricket, and the last thing England would want to see is the former Aussie captain whipping deliveries off his pads to the boundary.

Marnus Labuschagne: Eyebrows were raised when Marnus Labuschagne was given an extended run in Test Cricket last year, with experts and former cricketers alike questioning his credibility and the value he brought to the side. However, the Queenslander has put everything to bed in the last few months, shutting his critics down with the bat. With 1114 runs at an average of 65, Labuschagne finished the County season as the highest run-getter and will enter the Ashes in prime form. He might not be a well-known entity in World Cricket, but having already gotten a fair measure of the conditions, he might just turn out to be the silent assassin of the Australian team.

Travis Head: With every series and every match, Travis Head has grown in confidence in Test Cricket, and the South Australian is slowly starting to fill the Mike Hussey-shaped void in the Aussie team. Having shown enormous grit and determination in matches against India and Sri Lanka when the chips were down, Head would now need to go one step further and repeat his heroics against arch rivals England. Despite being just 25, Head has plenty of white-ball experience in English conditions, and would be hoping to make use of the same come Thursday. 

Wicket-Keeper

Tim Paine: Having made his debut as a 25-year-old back in 2010, Tim Paine returns to English soil once again, but this time with an unexpected added twist of being the captain. While Australia have not enjoyed the greatest of results under his leadership, his effort, commitment and desire to stabilize the Australian team have been second to none, and with the added bonus of Warner and Smith rejoining the team, the 34-year-old now has a  golden chance to become the first captain after Steve Waugh to conquer English soil. 

Bowlers

Pat Cummins: After suffering a six-year hiatus from Test Cricket, Pat Cummins’ achievements since his return have been nothing short of remarkable, and his impeccable efforts have seen him climb to the top of the bowler’s rankings. While he had a rather inauspicious World Cup, he sent an instant message to everyone involved by claiming a five-wicket haul in the warmup match, further proving his credibility as a red-ball bowler. With Cummins, the English know what they’re going to get, but as the saying goes - knowing what you’re going to get, and actually dealing with it, are two completely different aspects.

Mitchell Starc: Since the start for 2018, Mitchell Starc has averaged more than 30 with the ball in Test Cricket, and his performances have been erratic and disappointing more often than not. But coming on the back of a record-breaking World Cup, Starc would be hoping to emulate his ODI form in The Ashes - much like the whole English team. In the 2015 Ashes, Starc ended the campaign as Australia’s highest wicket-taker, with 18 scalps. But with quality pacers lurking in the sidelines, time is running out for Starc in red-ball cricket, and a failure in the first Test might see him get the axe.

James Pattinson: The name “James Pattinson” is enough to send shockwaves in the English camp. Such has been the impact of the pacer, that despite not having played Test Cricket for three years, he is the most talked-about entity of this Ashes. The pace and movement brought by Pattinson along with his aggression and hostility has been unmatched by any Australian bowler since his injury, and he would definitely be a handful for England. In the 2017 County season, Pattinson accounted for 32 scalps at an average just over 12, and has all but cemented his reputation as a “Dukes ball specialist”. With Pattinson fit and firing, there would be no reason for Australia to park the Ferrari in the garage. 

Nathan Lyon: Since the start of 2017, no spinner has taken more wickets than Nathan Lyon. In the 2017/18 Ashes, Lyon tormented England not only with his off-spin, but also with moments of brilliance on the field, proving his mettle to be an “x-factor” of sorts. With England set to field a vast number of left-handers in the line-up, Lyon would be itching to get the ball in his hand make a difference and in many ways, whether Australia walk away with the urn or not toward the end of September, might be directly accounted to Lyon’s success in the series. 

Australia’s Predicted XI for the First Ashes Test

David Warner, Cameron Bancroft, Usman Khawaja, Steve Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, Travis Head, Tim Paine (c & wk), Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, James Pattinson, Nathan Lyon.

Cricket FootBall Kabaddi

Basketball Hockey

SportsCafe