AUSTRALIA'S ASHES SQUAD
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PAT CUMMINS (captain)
Age: 30
Tests: 50, Ashes Tests: 10
Role: Right-arm paceman
Test bowling: 221 wickets at 21.74, Ashes: 73 wickets at 20.75
Has set his sights on playing all five Ashes Tests as captain, despite the short turnarounds. Bowled well in the recent World Test Championship final against India but had issues with no-balls.
DAVID WARNER
Age: 36
Tests: 104, Ashes Tests: 28
Role: Left-handed batsman
Test batting: 8202 runs at 45.31, Ashes: 1888 runs at 38.53
Enters the series under immense pressure after Stuart Broad and England kept him to 95 runs at 9.5 four years ago. Knows only runs will keep him in the side for his dream Sydney retirement in January.
USMAN KHAWAJA
Age: 36
Tests: 61, Ashes Tests: 14
Role: Left-handed batsman
Test batting: 4508 at 46.95, Ashes: 882 runs at 36.75
Has enjoyed a tremendous revival since being recalled during the 2021-22 Ashes. Six centuries have come since but his career record in England remains poor.
MARNUS LABUSCHAGNE
Age: 28
Tests: 38, Ashes Tests: 9
Role: Right-handed batsman
Test batting: 3461 at 56.73, Ashes: 688 runs at 45.86
Returns to England a different prospect to the inexperienced 24-year-old in 2019 who replaced Steve Smith as a concussion substitute at Lord's. Now the world's No.1-ranked batsman.
STEVE SMITH
Age: 34
Tests: 97, Ashes Tests: 23
Role: Right-handed batsman
Test batting: 8947 runs at 60.04, Ashes: 3044 runs at 59.68
If Smith bats anywhere near as well as he did in 2019 Australia will go a long way towards winning the Ashes. Averaged 110.57 in that series and showed signs of that form in the Test Championship final at The Oval.
TRAVIS HEAD
Age: 29
Tests: 37, Ashes Tests: 8
Role: Left-handed batsman
Test batting: 2542 runs at 47.07, Ashes: 548 runs at 42.15
Dropped during the last Ashes tour in 2019, Head returns a new man. His positive strokeplay and desire to go after the game has him scoring at the same rate as England. Was man of the match in the Test Championship final.
CAMERON GREEN
Age: 24
Tests: 21, Ashes Tests: 5
Role: Allrounder
Test batting: 972 at 36.00, Ashes: 228 at 32.57
Test bowling: 25 wickets at 33.84, Ashes: 13 wickets at 15.76
A genuine triple-threat given he is now able to bowl at the same speed as Australia's quicks. He has a Test century to his name at No.6 and is one of the world's best fielders in the gully.
ALEX CAREY
Age: 31
Tests: 20, Ashes Tests: 5
Role: Wicketkeeper
Test batting: 803 runs at 34.91, Ashes: 183 at 20.33
Test dismissals: 68
Enters this year's Ashes in calmer circumstances than when he was Tim Paine's last-minute replacement in 2021-22. Tidy with bat and gloves in the Test Championship final.
MITCHELL STARC
Age: 33
Tests: 78, Ashes Tests: 18
Role: Left-arm paceman
Test bowling: 310 wickets at 27.64, Ashes: 74 wickets 27.45
Has the potential to be Australia's X-factor with the ball as a left-armer. Is happy to be expensive to take wickets but could be under pressure to keep his spot.
NATHAN LYON
Age: 35
Tests: 120, Ashes Tests: 28
Role: Right-arm offbreak bowler
Test bowling: 487 wickets at 31.03, Ashes: 101 wickets at 29.42
Has his eye on becoming the third Australian to reach 500 Test wickets in this series. His list of potential milestones appears endless after declaring this may not be his last Ashes tour.
JOSH HAZLEWOOD
Age: 32
Tests: 59, Ashes Tests: 14
Role: Right-arm paceman
Test bowling: 222 wickets at 25.83, Ashes: 60 wickets 24.45
Has managed four Tests in the past two years, but looks set to overcome a side injury for the start of the Ashes. Likely to be rotated in and out through the series.
SCOTT BOLAND
Age: 34
Tests: 8, Ashes Tests: 2
Role: Right-arm paceman
Test bowling: 33 wickets at 14.57, Ashes: 18 wickets 9.55
Made his name in the last Ashes series with 6-7 on debut in the Boxing Day Test and hasn't had a bad game for Australia since. Will be hard to leave out, even with all quicks fit.
MARCUS HARRIS
Age: 30
Tests: 14, Ashes Tests: 7
Role: Left-handed batsman
Test batting: 607 at 25.29, Ashes: 237 runs at 19.75
Yet to prove himself as a Test batsman despite multiple chances. Appears to be next in line ahead of Matt Renshaw if the pressure builds on Warner or Khawaja.
MATT RENSHAW
Age: 27
Tests: 14, Ashes Tests: 0
Role: Left-handed batsman
Test batting: 647 at 29.31, Ashes: N/A
Born in England, he missed out on a national contract in April but forced his way into the squad after runs for Australia A in New Zealand.
MITCH MARSH
Age: 31
Tests: 32, Ashes Tests: 6
Role: Allrounder (right-handed batsman, right-arm paceman)
Test batting: 1260 runs at 25.20, Ashes: 409 runs at 45.44
Test bowling: 42 wickets at 38.64, Ashes: 15 wickets at 24.46
Claimed 5-46 when brought in for his only match of the 2019 series at The Oval, but hasn't played Test cricket since.
JOSH INGLIS
Age: 28
Tests: 0, Ashes Tests: 0
Role: Wicketkeeper
Australia's back-up 'keeper for the beginning of the series. Will fly home for part of the tour to attend the birth of his child and will be replaced by Jimmy Peirson.
TODD MURPHY
Age: 22
Tests: 4, Ashes Tests: 0
Role: Right-arm offbreak bowler
Picked as a back-up spinner to Nathan Lyon after an impressive debut tour of India. Hard to see him getting a Test if Lyon stays fit.
MICHAEL NESER
Age: 33
Tests: 2, Ashes Tests: 1
Role: Right-arm paceman
Test bowling: 7 wickets at 16.71, Ashes: 2 wickets at 30.50
Called into Australia's squad for the start of the series off the back of a superb start to the county season for Glamorgan with a hat-trick and seven-wicket haul.
Australian Associated Press