Australia have omitted Glenn Maxwell and Marcus Stoinis from a 25-man squad that will go a long way to deciding the makeup of their Ashes team.
Players in the 25-man squad will compete in an intra-team friendly in Southampton between July 23-26, with Australia’s Ashes squad picked after that game ahead of the first Ashes Test on August 1.
David Warner, Steve Smith and Cameron Bancroft have made the group – the first time they have been selected together since the ball-tampering scandal, with Bancroft impressing in county cricket for Durham.
Usman Khawaja has also been picked, despite the severity of the hamstring injury that forced him to miss the end of the World Cup not yet known.
All-rounders Stoinis and Maxwell have missed the cut after disappointing World Cup campaigns for their country, who were beaten by England in Thursday’s semi-final at Edgbaston.
The Ashes begins at Edgbaston, live on Sky Sports, with Australia aiming to retain the urn they won at home in 2017-18 when they beat England 4-0.
Australia have not won an Ashes series in England since 2001, losing in 2005, 2009, 2013 and 2015.
Australia squad for intra-team friendly: Cameron Bancroft, Jackson Bird, Joe Burns, Alex Carey (wk), Pat Cummins, Peter Handscomb, Marcus Harris, Josh Hazlewood, Jon Holland, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Michael Neser, Tim Paine (wk), Kurtis Patterson, James Pattinson, Will Pucovski, Peter Siddle, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Chris Tremain, Matthew Wade (wk), David Warner.
