Former Australian batter Greg Chappell has raised concerns about Australia’s ageing squad for the opening Test against England in the Ashes series, set to take place at Perth’s Optus Stadium from November
21. Describing it as the “oldest international team fielded in over 90 years,” Chappell warned that the Australian side could face significant challenges if England’s express pacers, led by Mark Wood and Jofra Archer, perform well.
Australia’s squad for the first Ashes Test includes only one player under 30 years of age, Cameron Green, while the opener Usman Khawaja, aged 38, is the oldest. His potential opening partners, Marnus Labuschagne and Jake Weatherald, are also in their early 30s.
Writing for ESPNCricinfo, Chappell noted that England has focused on the fitness of Wood and Archer for this series, expecting them to play in the first two Tests at Perth and Brisbane, the latter being a pink-ball match.
Chappell highlighted that England has heavily invested in their pace attack, which also includes Josh Tongue and Gus Atkinson, alongside Wood and Archer. He stated that if the English pacers hit their stride on pace-friendly surfaces, the ageing Australian line-up might struggle, requiring “reflexes and concentration of the highest order” to cope with the challenge.
He also pointed out that Khawaja is the oldest opener to play a Test for Australia since Lindsay Hassett in 1953. Chappell suggested that England could gain a significant advantage if they manage to make early breakthroughs against the Australian batting line-up consistently during the series. Khawaja’s recent form has been mixed, with moderate performances against the West Indies and in the Sheffield Shield.
Chappell cautioned that Australia faces a potential “painful regeneration problem” if younger players do not debut in the next six to twelve months.
“So here we are in Australian cricket. The oldest international team fielded in 90-plus years will take the field in a fortnight. Thirty-five may be the new 30, but I believe that unless a handful of under 25s are going to be debuting in the next six to 12 months, we are going to have a painful regeneration problem when Usman Khawaja, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Scott Boland and Nathan Lyon leave,” Chappell wrote.
“Khawaja is the oldest opener to play a Test for Australia since Lindsay Hassett did it in his final Test at The Oval, in 1953. Hassett scored 53 in the first innings of a Test that England won by eight wickets. England had Fred Trueman, who was a genuine quick, in their attack, but Alec Bedser and Trevor Bailey were medium-fast at best. Ussie turns 39 during the series, so he will be tested by a procession of fast bowlers. His potential partner is a 31-year-old debutant or a makeshift opener also in his 30s. England will take a huge advantage if they can make early inroads in the Australia batting regularly in the series,” he added.
Chappell emphasised the importance of the Perth Test, known for its fast and bouncy pitch, in setting the tone for the series. He believes the outcome of the first two Tests, in Perth and Brisbane, could determine the direction of the series. The Ashes series in Australia begins on November 21, with Steve Smith leading the team in the absence of Pat Cummins due to injury. England are aiming to secure their first Ashes series win in Australia since 2011 and their first overall since 2015.
With ANI Inputs
