Overview:
The 1st Test between Australia and England will start at 8:00 am IST on November 21 in Perth.
The Australian men’s cricket team is set to take on England in the 1st Test at Perth Stadium, Perth. The 1st clash of the five-Test series will start from November 21 onwards.
Australia are set to play their 6th Test match here in Perth. England will be playing for the 1st time at this stadium.
Both sides have played one Test series each in the ongoing World Test Championship 2025-27 cycle. Australia beat West Indies 3-0 away and lead the show with a 100% PCT. England are 5th having drawn 2-2 against India in a 5-Test series at home.
What is the Context of the AUS vs ENG match?
England announced a 12-man squad for the 1st Test on November 19. They are likely to leave out spinner Shoaib Bashir and opt for a heavy pace attack. So four frontline pacers alongside Ben Stokes are a 5th option.
For the Aussies, Steve Smith will lead them in Pat Cummins’ absence. Josh Hazlewood is also injured, which means Scott Boland will play alongside Mitchell Starc. Meanwhile, Brendan Doggett is likely to be handed a game. Cameron Green will be the pace all-rounder with Nathan Lyon being the frontline spinner.
Australia and England have featured in 361 Test matches. Australia have won 152 matches compared to the England team’s 112. A total of 97 matches have been drawn. In Australia, the two teams have met on 185 occasions. The hosts have claimed 99 wins besides losing 57. A total of 29 matches have been drawn.
The Optus Stadium has hosted 5 matches. The Aussies own a 4-1 record here at this venue.
The 1st Test between Australia and England will start at 8:00 am IST on November 21 in Perth.
Australia – Probable Playing XI
Usman Khawaja: The southpaw is set to play his last Ashes series. He has 6053 runs from 84 Tests at 43.86. In 19 Ashes Tests, he has scored 1378 runs at 40.52 with 10 fifty-plus scores.
Jake Weatherald: He is set to make his Test debut. Weatherald was selected in the Ashes squad ahead of Sam Konstas with selector George Bailey praising him for his consistency.
Marnus Labuschagne: He has fought his way back into the side after being dropped for the West Indies tour. Labuschagne has scored runs of late in domestic cricket and will fill in at number three.
Steve Smith (c): He will lead Australia for this Test with Cummins being absent. A big player, Smith owns close to 10500 Test runs at an average of 56.02. He has done well against England over the years.
Cameron Green: The all-rounder comes into this side with some neat showing in a recent Sheffield Shield match. He will also lend a voice with the ball. Green has an important role to play.
Travis Head: The multi-format player can be Australia’s match-winner. He is 37 runs shy of the 4,000-run mark in Tests. He averages a neat 41.71 in Tests with 9 tons and 20 fifties.
Alex Carey (wk): A fierce player, left-handed batter Carey is a key asset. He has 2010 runs from 43 Tests (63 innings) at 34.65.
Mitchell Starc: He will lead the Aussie attack in Cummins and Hazlewood’s absence. With over 400 Test wickets, Starc is a lethal weapon. He is three shy of 100 Ashes scalps (97).
Nathan Lyon: He owns a good record at the Perth Stadium with 29 wickets from 5 Tests. He is two shy of becoming the 6th-highest wicket-taker in Tests. Lyon has 562 Test wickets.
Scott Boland: The pacer was instrumental in the 2021-22 Ashes at home, picking 18 scalps. Boland, who had a forgettable 2022-23 Ashes in England, will be keen to showcase his mettle.
Brendan Doggett: The experienced pacer owns close to 200 First-Class wickets. He has played 50 FC matches to date and averages 26.46.
Player to watch out for (Steve Smith): The senior Aussie batter will want to bring his A game. He has a sound record at home in Tests.
England – Probable Playing XI
Ben Duckett : The England southpaw will aim to take on the Aussies from the start with his aggressive play. He owns 2872 runs from 38 Tests at 42.86.
Zak Crawley : He has supported Duckett well at the top. Crawley owns 1800 runs from 37 Tests at 34.61. He will need to play smartly and counter the Aussies.
Ollie Pope: He is a solid customer. He has kept his place at number three ahead of Jacob Bethell. England trust him and he needs to score quality runs to remove any doubt regarding his selection.
Joe Root: The 2nd-highest scorer in Tests, Root dominated India in the 2-2 drawn affair. He now has the chance to make things count against Australia and make his bat talk.
Harry Brook: He will be keen to put a price on his wicket. If Brook gets going, he can be lethal. Averaging over 57 in Tests, Brook is solid and dangerous at the same time.
Ben Stokes (c): He will be aiming to bring his all-round play. Stokes owns over 7000 Test runs and has 230 scalps. He could be making his debut with the ball in Australia, having never bowled here in Tests.
Jamie Smith (wk): The wicketkeeper batter can be a menace with his power-hitting and risk-taking abilities. He averages close to 50 and owns over 1000 runs. His strike rate of 75.22 is impressive.
Gus Atkinson: He remains a threat with the ball. With 63 scalps from 13 matches at 22.01, Atkinson is a genuine wicket-taker.
Brydon Carse: He can chip in with the bat if needed and bring value. Being 9 Tests old, he has bagged 36 scalps at 30-plus. He averages over 23 with the bat.
Jofra Archer: He is England’s main bet on a bouncy Perth surface. In 15 Tests, he has 51 wickets at 30.62. Archer will offer pace and bounce.
Mark Wood: With his lethal pace, he can ask questions. He owns 119 Test scalps.
Player to watch out for (Joe Root): He is a world class Test player and England will count on his attributes.
Top Batters for Dream11
In terms of the Dream11 team pick, among batters, the likes of Steve Smith, Joe Root and Harry Brook can be wise picks alongside Travis Head and Ben Duckett.
Jamie Smith can be a differential pick. He promises quick runs and able partnerships.
Best All-Rounders to Boost Points
In terms of all-rounders, one can go with two sound options in the form of England skipper Ben Stokes and Australian powerhouse Cameron Green.
Bowlers to Watch in Dream11
With the surface expected to be pacy and bouncy in nature, go for quicks. The likes of Mitchell Starc, Jofra Archer and Scott Boland can be ideal picks. Spinner Nathan Lyon is a must. He owns most Test wickets in Perth.
Captain and Vice-captain picks
Smith can be an ideal captaincy option with Root being the vice-captain pick.
One can mix it with Starc being picked as captain and having Stokes as the vice-captain.
Pitch Report & Venue Conditions
The wicket is expected to be fast and bouncy in nature. Expect both sides to go in with at least 4 viable pace options. England may go with 5 pacers. The surface is expected to be difficult for the side chasing in the 4th innings. However, one feels it will be an even contest between bat and ball from Day 1 onwards, before things change a bit on Day 4 and 5. The Optus Stadium has hosted only 5 Tests and things have been different in terms of the surface. However, pacers will enjoy it here, and batsmen need to be watchful before settling in.
Match Prediction – Who Has the Upper Hand?
All things considered, both sides will be up for it on a surface that will assist pace. England may consider an all-pace attack and leave Shoaib Bashir out. Australia will rely on 4 pace options and bank on spinner Nathan Lyon, who has a solid record here. Australia are slightly ahead in terms of balance on this surface at the Perth Stadium.
FAQs About AUS vs ENG Playing XI
Who are the key players in the AUS vs ENG clash?
For the Aussies, Steve Smith will want to bring his A game. He has a sound record at home in Tests. For England, Joe Root can be ominous for Australia. He is a sheer run-scorer.