Opener Sam Konstas was the bad guy from Absentee, remembered by Marnus Labuscagne and Jake Weatherd calling for the first time. Both batters are 31.
It is the second time in 12 months that the 20-year-old has fallen.
“I feel for Sammy. Right now, when he’s running it’s a headline,” Bailey said.
“We really like him. We like the skill there and we’re confident that in the long run it will continue to build.”
As expected, Captain and Pace Bowler Pat Cummins was left out as he recovers from a back injury.
Head coach Andrew McDonald said in October he was “very optimistic” Cummins, 32, would be available for the second test in Brisbane starting on 4 December.
Starc, 35, Scott Boland, 36, are expected to form the pace of the attack, while 33-year-old Sean Abbott and 31-year-old Brendan Doggett – both have not been included in the squad.
Lyon, 37, is the only specialist spinner.
Steve Smith, who got the captaincy in 2018 after the Ball-Tampering Scandal, will skipper the side in Cummins’ absence.
Australia are the holders of the Ashes.
England have won just one of their past 10 series in Australia – and none since 2010-11.
The five-test series is set to conclude on 8 January.
Australia Squad for First Test: Steve Smith (Capt), Sean Abbott, Scott Boland, Alex Carey (WK), Josh Hazlewood, Natan Khawaja, Mitchell Starching, Mitchell Starcakne, Mitchell Starcay, Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Starc, Jake Weberd.
Ashad in Ashad in England: Ben Stokes (capt), Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Shoaib Bashir, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Will Jacks, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts, Joe Root, Jamie Smith (wk), Josh Tongue, Mark Wood.