What will our XI look like for the first test of the 2027 Ashes

[Run n Spread]

Kellaway
Konstas
Mcsweeny
Connolly
Head
Webster
Carey
Cummins
Richardson
Bartlett
Murphy

 

[icyflakes]

When you look at the age of the current side and what we have in reserve, I think England should beat us pretty comfortably in England in 2027, considering we’ve drawn series over there with better sides than we took over there in 2019 and 2023.

Still a long way to go, but seems a perfect storm will be brewing in 18-20 months of current greats about to retire and/or past their best/injury prone.

To win or merely be as competitive as 2019 and 2023 we would need most of the following:

• Head continues to be a destructive batsmen
• Cummins continues to be world class
• Carey still at or close to his peak
• Green to be a dependable consistent bat who can average 40 plus
• a bowler under 35 like Jhye Richardson can stay fit and perform at a similar level to the current crop
• A spinner who can at the very least contain the run rate (probably a Murphy/kuhnemann)
• Emergenc of another batsmen to at least be capable of averaging 35 or so

I agree with you, but it's funny that our standard for winning away is essentially "half of our team is still good"

 

[Mick F]

You're going too far with how many changes you think we will make.

Smith, Lyon and Starc all seem like they will need to be dragged out of the team kicking and screaming and it will take a year of poor performances for the selectors to pull the trigger on them. They will still be getting selected for a period even after they are cooked.

Lyon could succumb to age and injuries, but he also has a lot of distance on his competitors. Even at 40 I can see him still in the team.

Carey is a professional and will likely still be around too.

Fielding is a component of the game as well.

 

[Cold Sober]

I think we'll struggle.
Still think Green is a must, Kellaway, Konstas, yeah, it doesn' look great.

 

[Cleavy]

 

[happy_eagle]

I can't see Lyon (40), Boland (38), Starc (37), Hazlewood (36) or Smith (38) all lasting that long.

 

[Cleavy]

I can't see Lyon (40), Boland (38), Starc (37), Hazlewood (36) or Smith (38) all lasting that long.

IKR. odd listing!

 

[Jimthegreat]

Head
Kellaway
Renshaw
Smith
McSweeney
Webster
Carey
Cummins
Richardson
Spencer Johnson
Kuhnemann

Inglis
Murphy
Connolly
Bartlett
Morris

Expect Starc, 37, Boland, 38, Hazelwood, 36, Lyon, 39 will be too old by then. We have to have moved on from then by the next Ashes. Smith be good maybe for one more being a batter.

 

[Peter Bixley]

Head
Kellaway
Renshaw
Smith
McSweeney
Webster
Carey
Cummins
Richardson
Spencer Johnson
Kuhnemann

Inglis
Murphy
Connolly
Bartlett
Morris

Expect Starc, 37, Boland, 38, Hazelwood, 36, Lyon, 39 will be too old by then. We have to have moved on from then by the next Ashes. Smith be good maybe for one more being a batter.

Spencer Johnson is aged 30, has played six first-class games in total and none since 2024. Unfortunately I feel the ship may have sailed on him.

 

[Jimthegreat]

Spencer Johnson is aged 30, has played six first-class games in total and none since 2024. Unfortunately I feel the ship may have sailed on him.

If he's fit an in form again he'd be the best option. At least IMO. Only have to be in-form at the time, in other words, a good next summer. Suppose he has to play Shield Cricket first, take wickets so he can make the team during the summer or go on the tour.

His 6 games has 26 wickets @ 27 with a SR of 45.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

I know Lyon wants to get there but his body might not.
I still think smith will be playing (i think 2027-28 will be when he retires) but other guys wont get there. Boland is marginal (due to age not ability). Ditto Neser who would otherwise be there-he is very good in county cricket so I would consider him if his body holds up.
Doggett is honest but I think younger quicks will surpass him.

If I had to guess it will be something like
Head
Kellaway
Mcsweeney
Smith
Renshaw
Carey
Green/Webster
Cummins
Bartlett
Richardson
Murphy

My guess is I think the rest of the squad will be something like
Connolly (they will fast track him i could even see him in the 11)
Morris (they will want him for pace if hes fit, if he isnt i can see them fast tracking beardman or vidler but 2027 might be too soon).
Inglis (wk)
Some random backup spinner probably Rocco (i hope they dont pick sangha)
Backup mature quick whichever of your doggett/abbott/Fergus types is performing well and fit.
Spare batter spot will be interesting-i can see them fast tracking Peake but we will probably also need some sort of mature opener in case kellaway has a tough initiation or head on swinging wickets doesnt work and he has to go back to 5 (i suppose mcsweeney could go back up top but I maintain he's not an opener).
They could take hardie if green falls off a cliff but honestly if he does it can see them just putting in connolly at 6/7 as a spinning all rounder (i wouldn't but they will) this will then give them an excuse post Lyon to play no front line spinner and go with 4 quicks.

 

[cricketnut14]

so he only has neser, doggett, weatherald dropping off?

no mcsweeney, konstas, renshaw, connolly, hardie.

always hard picking these squads especially when there is still 15-16 tests prior to the ashes.

 

[katana]

i seriously doubt lyon makes it. that hamstring was totally innocuous and had 'old man injury' written all over it. australia have missed a trick not playing a spinner here. there's 5 tests in india in 12 months time as well.

hazelwood can get there but probably needs to shed some white ball load to do so.

 

[Blackhawk42]

Disappointingly conservative IMO, aside from Peake and Kellaway.

 

[demondavey]

Potential starting XI in 2027

Renshaw
Head
Labuschagne
Smith
Green
Carey
Webster
Cummins
Bartlett
Richardson
Murphy

The changes are simply not going to be as drastic as people think.

Konstas is years away from test cricket. Peake and Kelkaway have to play so much cricket this year for Australia. A 32 average isn’t particularly enough to hang your hat on. Peake has not made a FC hundred. This constant desire for change at the top is really unnecessary. Renshaw has done so well lately, more good form this year and he can’t be overlooked.

Richardson needs some more exposure but looks like he could be a handful again when fit. Bartlett is next in line. The top 8 are going to take a bit to get dislodged with only Renshaw susceptible.

Anyone not including Webster is an absolute block head.

 

[icyflakes]

i seriously doubt lyon makes it. that hamstring was totally innocuous and had 'old man injury' written all over it. australia have missed a trick not playing a spinner here. there's 5 tests in india in 12 months time as well.

hazelwood can get there but probably needs to shed some white ball load to do so.

Healy said when she spoke to Lyon, he said he had torn his hammy in 3 places. For how minor the movement was that did it, that's definitely old man territory.

Can easily play Murphy in India, but no idea what we do for the next Ashes as Todd has shown he isn't ready for bazball. Maybe an awesome series in India will give him some BDE to take into England.

 

[happy_eagle]

Todd has shown he isn't ready for bazball.

Will England even be playing that style in 2027. McCullum barely survived this tour, I do wonder if he is still there in 2027.

 

[icyflakes]

Will England even be playing that style in 2027. McCullum barely survived this tour, I do wonder if he is still there in 2027.

England will win the next Ashes. They might make some changes and Baz may well be gone, but the flat tracks will be out in force and England will be swinging. Whoever is in our bowling attack for the next Ashes is in for a rough time.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

I agree there probably won't be a heap of change.

Lyon will go as he's the oldest... but even him, its not totally bizarre for a spinner to play at 40yo.

Hard to do this far out but

Head
Weatherald
Marnus
Smith
Green
Webster
Carey
Cummins
Starc
Murphy
Hazlewood

Looks old but cricketers play late.

I have a bit of a feeling Weatherald might come good. Just a couple of technical things that can be ironed out. Otherwise Renshaw.

Marnus is a worry but back him to regain his form

I see no reason why Smith won't be playing at 38yo. He's playing well.

Green... he'll have a spot for life whether he deserves it or not. He's the selectors' anointed all-rounder

Webster looks at home at Test level

Carey is a superstar

You do wonder about the quicks but I don't see any of the three of them retiring in the next 18 months. If one of them isn't fit, then probably Doggett.

I actually think after that Ashes will be the big transition... I can see there being a big exodus at the end of the 2027/28 summer - when we could see the end of Smith, Starc, Hazlewood and possibly Carey and Cummins.