Ricky Ponting Names His Preferred Australia XI For First Ashes Test, Snubs All-Rounder To Pick Two Debutants

England and Australia are all set to lock horns with each other in the upcoming 2025 edition of The Ashes. The Aussies, who are at the top of the World Test Championship (WTC) points table, will start the Ashes as favourites. Australia haven't lost the Ashes since 2017 and they will want to keep the perfect streak intact.

The first Ashes Test will be played at the Perth Stadium from November 21, 2025. Australia are the defending champions of the coveted urn and they will want to outsmart the visitors on their home turf.

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Ricky Ponting Names His Australian XI

Australia have a lot to ponder about before they head into the first Ashes Test. Australia will miss the services of Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood in the series opener. They will also be led by stand-in skipper Steve Smith. The opening position also continues to be a big headache for the home team.

According to ex-Australia skipper Ricky Ponting, Brendan Doggett will make his debut in Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins' absence. Ponting has also backed opener Jake Weatherald to make the cut and play the Ashes opener. Australia might be depleted a bit, but they still have a massive advantage of playing at home.

"The fact that Hazlewood is not there, they'll have Starc, Boland, probably Doggett. Do they now think they might need Beau Webster to be in that side as well? So there are a lot of questions that I am not really sure what the outcome or the answer is," said Ricky Ponting.

Ponting's XI for Australia for the first Ashes Test: Jake Weatherald, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith (c), Travis Head, Cameron Green, Alex Carey (wk), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Brendan Doggett, Scott Boland.

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Ricky Ponting Dissects The Concept Of Bazball

Prior to the start of the first Ashes Test, Ponting did give his two cents on the concept of Bazball. The ex-Aussie skipper said that Bazball was something that England developed after the drubbing that they received in Ashes 2021-22 and then went on to adapt to this template to prepare for the upcoming 2025 edition of The Ashes.