When it comes to selection, Australia pays more attention to domestic performances than their English counterparts.
Labuscchagne’s form demands a recall, while the unstoppable Jake Weatherfield was the Sheffield Shield’s leading run-scorer that season.
If the left-hander gets the nod in Perth, he will be Khawaja’s sixth opening partner since David Warner retires in January 2024.
Facing Jofra Archer and Co at the Optus Stadium will be a far cry from last year’s Strint in the East Anglia Premier League, where Suits was a team-mate of Monty Panesar.
As confirmed last month, there is a Pat Cummins – Gate hole in the Australian Attack. Cummins may return for a second test, and for now Scott Boland is capable of completing an outstanding Australian record.
As back-ups, Sean Abbott has 60 caps in White-Ball Cricket and Brendan Doggett is a skilled Sheffield snow shielding.
In terms of selection, Australia have more questions to answer than England, yet remain favorites to retain the Urn. Only six of the England squad had previously played a test in Australia and the Touring Party of 16 had a test hundred under them between them, belonging to the stokes. Captain and Mark Wood have struggled in their bowling boots in Australia in the past.
England’s collective experience in Australian conditions will question their limited preparation time. They play a red ball three-day warm-up match-up, against a Lions team in England at Lilac Hill, from next Wednesday.
The veterans of the past have been successful, although critics may have overlooked England’s tours under Stokel McCullum.
Since the captain and head coach took charge in 2022, the preparations for the tour have been scaled to one or no warm-up matches. England have won the first test in all five of their overseas tours at home against Pakistan in Rawatrabad.
It makes sense to want to continue the same approach for this tour – they deserve the benefit of the doubt.
In any case, extended preparation does not guarantee success. England’s triumph in 2010-11, when they won three hot matches before beating Australia 3-1, is another example.
On several other tours England played warm-ups until the kangaroos came home and then got beaten in tests.
If England can control their preparation, they can’t control the light ride they get from the Australian press, which starts labeling West Australia as “Cocky captain complains”.
JIBES are unlikely to stop a man painted like stokes, and England will know it’s easy to turn on the home press if England go on top.
This is where the rub lies. For all the talk of selection and preparation, the judgment will come through the results and the identity of the captain who holds the Urn in Sydney in January.
It is the unexpected nature of this series that highlights the excitement – an interesting case can be made for many different scorlines. The uncertainty is glorious and will remain until 21 November, after which we will know a little more than we know today.
Until then, enjoy the hype.