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The stage for the 1st Ashes Test at Perth's Optus Stadium is set. Australia will host Ben Stokes' England in what is anticipated to be an exciting affair in the World Test Championship.

Australia are missing a number of players, including their captain Pat Cummins, and Steve Smith will lead the team in his absence. The Aussies are also expected to hand debuts to both Jake Weatherald and Brendan Doggett, for the first time since 2019, when two debutants started for Australia in a Test match.

Usman Khawaja is all set to have his 6th opening partner in Weatherald as Beau Webster misses out despite having some solid outings with the bat in the last few Test matches. Australian selectors were in a doldrums regarding Cameron Green's fitness, but after the pacer bowled at full pace in a recent Sheffield Shield game, he became an automatic choice. The all-rounder is set to bat at no. 6.

Doggett has been in ravishing form and will replace Josh Hazlewood in the team. He will form a four-pronged pace attack with Mitchell Starc, Scott Boland and Green. Nathan Lyon, who happens to be the highest wicket-taker at this venue, will also feature as the sole spinner.

Steve Smith On The Verge Of Breaking Multiple Records

He currently has amassed 3,417 runs in 37 Ashes Test matches at an average of 56.01, and another 583 runs could see him invade the 4000 Test run mark. Should he be able to cross the 4000 run mark, he will leapfrog England's Jack Hobbs to second place in the all-time leading run-scorer in the Ashes.

He also remains Australia's 4th highest runscorer in Test cricket with 10,477 runs in 119 Tests, and will need 423 runs to become the 3rd Australian, after Ricky Ponting and Allan Border, to be a member of the 11000-run club.

Australia XI For Ashes Opener In Perth

Usman Khawaja, Jake Weatherald, Marnus Labuschagne, Steven Smith (capt), Travis Head, Cameron Green, Alex Carey (wk), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Scott Boland, Brendan Doggett.