Both Australia and West Indies have confirmed their playing XIs for the first match of the two-match test series, which begins on January 17 in Adelaide. Cameron Green will return to the Baggy Greens’ lineup, with Steve Smith starting the batting, while the West Indies will debut three players in their side.
For the first time, Steve Smith and Usman Khawaja will open the batting for Australia. Although Matt Renshaw has replaced Warner in the Test squad, Steve Smith has been announced as his replacement in the starting eleven.
The middle-order will include Marnus Labuschagne, Cameron Green, Mitchell Marsh, and Travis Head. Green will replace David Warner as the only change from the previous game against Pakistan.
Australia’s first-choice wicketkeeper-batter Alex Carey will continue to wear the gloves. Despite the continuous cricket, Australia has decided not to rotate the squad, and the pace-bowling department will be handled by the experienced trio of Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, and Josh Hazlewood, with Nathan Lyon being the sole spinner in the playing 11.
West Indies have named three debutants, with skipper Kraigg Brathwaite confirming that middle-order pair Kavem Hodge and Justin Greaves, as well as raw paceman Shamar Joseph, will all make their Test debuts.
The Windies, who were thrashed 2-0 in Australia last summer, would be missing crucial allrounders Jason Holder and Kyle Mayers for this tour, as the duo are playing in T20 leagues, and fast bowler Jayden Seales is out with a shoulder injury.
Shamar Joseph, who shined in last week’s tour match at Karen Rolton Oval after catching the eye of selectors while growing up in a secluded community in central Guyana, and many experts have rated him as a player to watch out from West Indies.
The two-match AUS vs WI series is set to begin on January 17 in Adelaide. The second Test will begin on January 25 at the Gabba in Brisbane. Following the Tests, both teams will face off in three One-Day Internationals and three Twenty20 Internationals.
Australia XI: Usman Khawaja, Steve Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, Cameron Green, Travis Head, Mitch Marsh, Alex Carey (wk), Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins (c), Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood
West Indies XI: Kraigg Brathwaite (c), Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Kirk McKenzie, Alick Athanaze, Kavem Hodge, Justin Greaves, Joshua Da Silva (wk), Gudakesh Motie, Alzarri Joseph, Shamar Joseph, Kemar Roach
