Overview
- England named a 12-man group for Friday’s Ashes opener at Optus Stadium, with Mark Wood cleared after a hamstring scare and Shoaib Bashir the spin option as Ollie Pope takes the No. 3 slot.
- Australia will be without frontline quicks Pat Cummins (back) and Josh Hazlewood (hamstring) for at least the first Test, with Mitchell Starc and Scott Boland set to lead the attack.
- Selectors are weighing recalls and potential debuts for the hosts, with Marnus Labuschagne back in the squad, opener Jake Weatherald in contention, and seamer Brendan Doggett tipped to play.
- The Perth wicket is forecast to offer pace and steep bounce, increasing the likelihood of England leaning on an all-seam attack spearheaded by Jofra Archer alongside Wood and Gus Atkinson.
- England’s away record remains a hurdle — no Test wins in Australia in 15 years and a poor history in Perth — though this series opens at Optus rather than the WACA, with every Test at the new venue won by the team batting first.