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The time for pre-Ashes banter and selection predictions is practically finished after Australia revealed a 15-man squad to face the English side in the Perth Test. The larger group for the series opener points to the requirement for calm temperaments during the fiery battle, with the newcomer named for the first time in place of fiery opener Sam Konstas.

Yet with the batsman returning to form and the remaining inexperienced players being two fast bowling replacements, there is a recognizable feel to the squad even without injured skipper Pat Cummins. Below is how each member (presented in A-Z sequence) will face the Bazball bravado, with a star rating indicating their potential impact on the series starting on 21 November.

First. Sean Abbott

The veteran seamer is again relied upon as a back-up after being a frequent member in the white-ball sides in recent years. With Cummins's return remaining unclear, and the other front-line bowlers confronting a gruelling fixture list, the 33-year-old will want to sustain his strong performances to remain in consideration for a Test debut. ★☆☆☆☆

Second. Scott Boland

A key pace bowler in the team has emerged as a focus for England for his modest returns during the 2023 Ashes as much as for his reserved nature off the pitch. However the veteran has not taken a significant haul at an bowling average of 16.53 – featuring a three in three in his most recent Test against the Caribbean side – and has being a danger at the top level and should embrace the rare opportunity to begin a campaign in the first match. ★★★☆☆

3. Alex Carey

The preferred wicketkeeper is returning in the simmering cauldron of an contest looking to stand out with the bat and his keeping, as well as for his role in a memorable moment when stumping Jonny Bairstow at Lord's in the last series. The 34-year-old is now a far more assured batsman if needed to accelerate or guide the lower-order with a match-turning knock. ★★★★☆

4. Brendan Doggett

The state fast bowler has been on the edges of the Australian side across the last few matches and is returning following claiming 33 wickets – featuring eleven in the last match – at an average of a respectable figure in last summer’s domestic competition. An first appearance is now attainable while the captain is sidelined and the front-line quicks prepare for a demanding five-match series in seven weeks. ★☆☆☆☆

5. Cameron Green

The highly-touted all-rounder had been identified for the national side from early in his journey despite fitness issues, and the moment has arrived for him to make a major contribution to a pivotal contest. The youngster was the best of the top-order players while coming in at No 3 in challenging circumstances in the West Indies but might be preferred in the order to make sure he can additionally assist the pace attack. Whether Green can feasibly be selected as a true bowling option in Perth, or may have to be trusted to bowl bulk overs later in the series, could be determined in the domestic round this week. ★★★☆☆

Sixth. Josh Hazlewood

The metronomic seamer is at the height of his powers after leading the limited-overs bowling and preparing for the Ashes series during games against the Indian team. The 34-year-old’s reliable discipline, and touch of swing whether seam movement or in the air, is bound to challenge the tourists’ front foot approach to batting, with the enduring question if he can play four or perhaps as many as all five Tests. ★★★★☆

7. Travis Head

The explosive batter is vital to the team's chances of seizing the initiative up to the opposition with his positive intent and habit to score big scores as the pressure increase. A couple of hundreds against India last summer, and the same the previous occasion England visited for a full series highlight his skills, while the 31-year-old has a talent of taking a key wicket with his occasional but underrated spin bowling. ★★★★★

8. Josh Inglis

The second keeper in the team demonstrated that he must also be viewed as a pure batter when scoring a century at more than a quick rate on his first appearance in the subcontinent. The player is most comfortable playing in the middle-order although he has demonstrated while captaining Australia in limited-overs matches that he has the versatility to bat earlier, which could fit a consistent position as the replacement. ★★☆☆☆

9. Usman Khawaja

The seasoned stays even amid calls for a changing of the guard at the top of the order after tightening his hold on the first wicket with a double ton in the subcontinent earlier this year. However after being among several batsmen failing to deal with India’s the paceman previously, the 38-year-old requires a positive beginning against England’s pace cartel in what could be his final Test series to ensure he can make the call himself on when to retire the baggy green. ★★☆☆☆

10. Marnus Labuschagne

The former top-ranked batsman has left behind a dismal form and the indignity of being dropped in the past to force his way again into the national team – and surely the playing eleven to feature in Perth. His exceptional performance with five hundreds in his recent knocks might give the selectors the confidence to support him to open if required with the opener, though the 31-year-old is probably to trouble the opposition when playing at his favored first-drop. ★★★★☆

11. Nathan Lyon

The spinner was as famous for his missing presence as his dismissal performances after a calf injury in the second Ashes Test helped turn the series when Australia visited the UK in 2023. The 37-year-old failed to deliver the home campaign he would have wanted against the Indian team with only a modest haul last summer but bounced back to be critical to Australia’s series sweeps in Sri Lanka and the Caribbean. ★★★☆☆

Twelfth. Steve Smith (captain)

The Australia batting great will step in to captain the team until C