Australia come into this Ashes series on extremely strong form after beating India in the World Test Championship Final at the Kia Oval last week. The players will have gained a great deal of confidence from the win and will look to cary that into the first Test and throughout the series.

Despite being included in the squad for the final against India and for the first two Ashes Tests, Josh Hazlewood missed out last week due to injury. However it has since been confirmed that he will be available for selection. This has caused some debate over what combination of bowlers Australia should opt to use in the first Test.

Captain Pat Cummins will play, barring some freak late injury, as will spinner Nathan Lyon. All-rounder Cameron Green looks a definite to contribute with both bat and ball and continue the great form he is showing. The dilemma for some has been over how to fit three seam bowlers of Scott Boland, Mitchell Starc and the returning Hazlewood into those two available spaces.

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After both had impressive displays against India and given the lack of cricket Hazlewood has had recently, it would seem most appropriate for Cummins to select Boland and Starc to join him in the attack.

The batting lineup for the Australians seems to be set with David Warner and Usman Khawaja to open, and then Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head and Alex Carey to follow.

Ashes 2023, Australia squad: Full team list, player news and injury updates for Ashes | ENG vs AUS

Australia XI for the first Test: David Warner, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Cameron Green, Alex Carey (wk), Pat Cummins (c), Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon, Scott Boland

Full squad is below:

Batters

Steve Smith, David Warner, Marcus Harris, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Matt Renshaw

Wicketkeepers

Alex Carey, Josh Inglis

All-rounders

Cameron Green, Mitchell Marsh

Bowlers

Pat Cummins, Scott Boland, Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Todd Murphy