From Marnus Labuschagne to Jake Weatherald: The leading contenders for Ashes opening spot

With an Ashes on the horizon, Usman Khawaja looks set for a seventh opening partner since David Warner’s retirement. An uncapped star has emerged as the leading contender — but he faces plenty of competition.

Here we go again.

Australia will approach a third consecutive home Test series with what is effectively an opening vacancy after Sam Konstas’ wretched time in the West Indies.

Though Usman Khawaja’s output over the past 12 months has hardly been anything to write home about either, the veteran appears more secure in his role, having been backed in by Australian coach Andrew McDonald.

It means that Khawaja is facing the prospect of a seventh opening partner in less than two years. Khawaja partnered David Warner in the latter’s farewell series, and has since been paired alongside Steve Smith, Nathan McSweeney, Konstas (in two stints), Travis Head and Marnus Labuschagne.

Smith and Head are now two of Australia’s most settled players and it is unlikely that they would be shifted from their respective spots at No. 4 and No. 5 on home soil. Cameron Green, who had been mooted as an opening option in the past, built into his new No. 3 role nicely in the Caribbean and also seems unlikely to be shifted. If anything he would be more likely to drop down the order if Beau Webster gets squeezed out for another specialist batter once Green can bowl again.

So unlike the series early in 2024 in which Smith was parachuted up the order to allow a path back for Green into the side, Khawaja’s partner - if not Konstas - is likely to come from outside the XI, just as was the case with McSweeney and then Konstas last season against India.

The race seems as open as ever. McDonald has stressed the opportunities available for players at the start of the Sheffield Shield season given there are four rounds of the domestic four-day competition ahead of the first Ashes Test in Perth.

There is also the ongoing Austraia A v Sri Lanka A series in Darwin , two Australia A first-class matches in India just before the start of the Shield season, County Championship commitments for some of the contenders and the wildcard of white-ball matches for Australia.

Here is a rundown of the main contenders, their roads to the Ashes and insights from a former men’s state team coach speaking on the condition of anonymity.

Sam Konstas (NSW)

In many respects it’s hard to believe he doesn’t turn 20 until October given how much the teenager has been part of the national zeitgeist since being picked for the Boxing Day Test.

Depending on who you ask, it has all come either too quickly or too slowly for the right-hander, with debate still raging as to whether he should have played in Sri Lanka where Head was preferred because of the conditions. In any case, Konstas’ technical frailties were exposed against the Windies, where he was vulnerable on both sides of the bat.

“It’s created a whole lot of pressure on a person,” said the coach.

“And you know, you have to remember, he’s 19 still Sammy. So, you know, there is a whole lot of things for him to learn and to do and to be ef.

“He’s a very, very good cricketer. And how people navigate him through that, and how he navigates himself through that, that’s always the biggest question. And obviously every time you go up to the top level, it’s exposure that hurts you as much as anything, isn’t it? Your dismissals are replayed 50 times. People rip you to shreds with whatever error you’ve made to get out.”

The Australia A games in India shape more as a trial for Asian tours to come, including the next Border-Gavaskar Trophy series in 2027, but runs there certainly won’t hurt.

The Shield is likely to be where things are decided though, with Konstas facing the prospect of a challenging start including two games against Victoria and potentially Scott Boland. He does not play a first-class game before the Ashes at Cricket Central, the venue of his two Shield centuries to date.

“When he’s not played in the World Test Championship, it’s a guy you’re holding him back and give him opportunities, and then he played the West Indies and they’re like, ‘oh, you haven’t played enough Shield cricket, you need to do more there,’” the coach added.

“So it’s a bit of a no win situation for Sam at the moment. Will be fascinating to see what they do with him and how he starts the Shield season.”

Marcus Harris (VIC)

Perenially in the conversation given he has played 14 Tests and was the man to make way when Khawaja became undroppable in early 2022. Was regularly a reserve batter until after the 2023 Ashes tour but missed out in the last two summer bat-offs.

“I think Harris was probably the favorite for that opening spot last summer,” the coach said.

“In his time he had sort of taken the game forward a little bit and being able to counter punch, you know, particularly through the offside, and he’d lost that last summer.

“He became almost a parody of himself trying to protect the off stump with balls around the wicket, and tried to play a lot straighter.

“But he lost a lot of his impetus to of his impetus through the off side, so the game was stalling with him a little bit. And I think the thought of (Khawaja) and Harris together at that stage was sort of a bit like, well, how does the game move?”

Marcus Harris became a parody of himself. Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

Harris had an unspectacular Shield season last summer for the Vics but starred batting at No. 4 for Lancashire in the first half of the English County season before returning home for the birth of his second child. Harris is set to feature again for the Division Two side before heading back for the Aussie summer.

Has two games at the Junction Oval - where his record is impeccable - and the game against the Blues at that venue is just before Australia’s one-day series against India so he could dodge the big three Aussie quicks.

Cameron Bancroft (WA)

Hasn’t played a Test since being dropped after two rubbers on the 2019 Ashes tour but young enough to come again. Was unlucky not to at least be a reserve batter for the home series against the Windies when starring in the Shield in early 2024 and then picked a horrible time to be out of form when a vacancy arose last summer.

“Bangers was just going through a really tough trot at the start of the season,” the coach said. “But obviously he’s got a good bit of work behind him.”

Like Harris, Bancroft had an impressive first half of the season in England, where he is captaining Gloucestershire. A complicating factor for the West Aussie is an early run of games at the WACA Ground, which was a nightmare for batting at times last season.

Aussie team leadership have insisted Bancroft’s non-selection in recent years has had nothing to do with residual fallout from the ball tampering scandal.

Cameron Bancroft will have his work cut out for him impressing at the WACA. Picture: Paul Kane/Getty Images

Nathan McSweeney - (SA)

Shifted to the top of the order for the second Australia A game ahead of the India Test series last summer and did enough to book his spot only to struggle against the might of Jasprit Bumrah and be brutally dumped for the Boxing Day Test.

“I don’t think they felt he was an opening batter, but they felt, out of all the top order batters around the country, he was probably playing the best,” the coach said.

Remained around the mark, getting called up for the Sri Lanka Test tour and clearly still in the frame. Has already made a couple of big scores against Sri Lanka A in Darwin. If there was an opening at No. 3 or No. 4 he’d be a strong chance but it would be a big call for selectors to go back to him as opener given how that panned out the first time.

Nathan McSweeney is chasing a return to the Test team. Picture: Chris Hyde/Getty Images

Matt Renshaw - (Queensland)

The only contender to have a Test century as an opener to his name, Renshaw has ridden many ups and downs since his first call-up in late 2016.

He was a member of the Test squad as recently as early last year but then didn’t even make the Australia A squad later in the year.

Is seriously on the national radar as a white-ball player, having pounded Sri Lanka A, but will need a hefty first-class output at the start of the season to force his way back into the Test reckoning. “Very capable, very powerful,” the coach said.

“Has the ability to play spin quite well himself. He obviously went on the tour to India (in 2023), and didn’t go well against spin, but that was very difficult for everyone through the middle order there, but on Australian wickets, you’d think he’d be a person that could really be effective against (Jack) Leach and (Shoaib) Bashir if they’re playing.”

The only contender with a Test century as an opener. Picture: AFP Photo

Jake Weatherald (Tasmania)

A relatively aggressive left-hander, Weatherald has had an up and down state career. He left South Australia then tried to depart Tassie too before staying and enjoying a prolific season last summer that thrust him into the national conversation. Made a half-century in the first Sri Lanka A game in Darwin and backed it up with a ton in the second match.

In many respects his selection would be in the hope of finding a David Warner-lite. The ever-probing Bulls attack headed by Michael Neser would be an excellent early-season test, and if he can start well then momentum for his case will build.

“That ability to counterpunch and attack, hurt the short ball and drive aggressively…if that is working well, then that creates a really good cushion for Khawaja,” the coach said.

Jake Weatherald is first-class cricket’s form opener. Picture: Steve Bell/Getty Images

Marnus Labuschagne (Queensland)

By far the most accomplished player outside the XI, Labuschagne has 11 Test tons and at his best would be a walk-up start.

But after two years of decline and a move up the order, he was left out for all three Tests in the West Indies. A mooted early exit to play for Australia A or Glamorgan did not eventuate.

He would have to contemplate moving up the order for Queensland to help his case for a road back.

Remains in Australlia’s one-day plans following the retirements of Steve Smith and Glenn Maxwell. How much stock would Australian selectors place in runs there?

Other players of interest: Kurtis Patterson (NSW), Henry Hunt (SA), Jason Sangha (SA), Matt Short (Victoria), Sam Whiteman (WA).