Australia Playing 11 vs Pakistan – 1st Test, 2023

Australia takes on Pakistan in the first of the three-match Test series in Perth starting from December 15. The Test match starts at 7.50 am IST. The Aussies are the defending World Cup and WTC Champions heading into this Test series.

Australia are placed fifth in the WTC 2023-35 points table. They are fresh off a World Cup win followed by a T20I series loss to India. The side will be led by Pat Cummins who has had a fabulous year as captain. He has retained the Ashes and won the WTC final and the World Cup. Winning against Pakistan will be an icing on the cake.

Cricket Australia has named a 14-member squad for the first Test with five pacers and Nathan Lyon as the specialist XI. Lance Morris and Scott Boland have been recalled into the XI alongside Starc, Cummins, and Hazlewood the other three.

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Australia have a favourable record against Pakistan in Tests winning 34 of the 69 Test matches. They also have been unbeaten against Pakistan in Tests since 2019. They won 3-0 at home in 2019 followed by 1-0 in Pakistan in 2022.

The Test series will also be David Warner’s last as he is set to retire from Test cricket after the end of the third Test. In this article, we predict Australia’s Test XI for the Perth Test.

Australia Playing 11 vs Pakistan ??? 1st Test, 2023

David Warner

Warner will open the batting in his last Test series. He is 513 runs away from 9000 Test runs for Australia. He is fresh off a World Cup win where he scored 535 runs in 11 matches.

Usman Khawaja

Usman Khawaja should open the batting with Warner. The pair have batted a lot together and scored too many runs. The two southpaws need to give Australia a good start. Khawaja has scored over 5000 Test runs in 66 Tests.

Marnus Labuschagne

Marnus will slot in at three. He has been a dependable batter for the Aussies in his career so far. The batter has scored 43 Test matches and nearing 4000 Test runs.

Steve Smith

Smith will bat at four. He recently played in the BBL heading into this series. While he has been rediscovering his T20I game, he is a giant of the Test format. He is 700-odd runs away from 10000 Test runs.

Travis Head

Head will bat at five. He scored a brilliant match-winning century against India in the World Cup final. He also scored 163 against India in the WTC final batting at five Head can roll his arm over as well.

Cameron Green / Mitchell Marsh

One among Marsh or Green can bat at six. Both are top-quality all-rounders with batting a better skill than bowling. Both were a part of Australia’s World Cup-winning squad.

Alex Carey (WK)

Carey is Australia’s specialist keeper at seven. He can play spin well and has played very important knocks at that number for his team. He is safe with the gloves as well.

Pat Cummins (C)

Cummins will bat at eight and lead the side. As said earlier he has had a brilliant year as captain with a WTC win and a World Cup title to boot. He has picked up 239 wickets from just 55 Test matches.

Mitchell Starc

Starc will be the second seamer in this lineup. He will be raring to go at Perth with the wicket looking greenish. He has picked up 333 wickets from 82 Test matches. Starc has enrolled himself in the IPL as well.

Josh Hazlewood

Hazlewood will be the third specialist seamer in the XI. He too was a part of Australia’s World Cup winning squad. He bowls at a good length throughout which is his biggest strength. He has picked up 238 wickets from 63 Test matches.

Nathan Lyon

Lyon concludes Australia’s probable XI for the first Test against Pakistan in Perth. He will be the specialist spinner in the side. Nathan Lyon sits on 496 Test wickets four short of 500.

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