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Australia's top-order conundrum: What should be their top-3 for the Ashes opener?

Mayank

Australia's Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne and Jake Weatherald [Usman Khawaja, Houseof_Cricket, TasmanianTigers/X.com]Australia's Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne and Jake Weatherald [Usman Khawaja, Houseof_Cricket, TasmanianTigers/X.com]

Australia find themselves in a precarious situation ahead of the all-important Ashes series at home, as their search for an opening option takes them to Jake Weatherald, who has been called-up to the Test team for the first time.

Since David Warner's retirement, not only Australia have failed to replace him at the top, but his opening partner Usman Khawaja has also seen a dip in form in international cricket.

Additionally, with the re-introduction of Cameron Green, they look to strike balance in the top-3. Here's what their options look like ahead of the first Test.

What is Australia's best top-3 for the 1st Ashes Test?

1. Usman Khawaja:

Due to the experiments of Nathan McSweeney and Sam Konstas not working out over the last 12 months, Khawaja remains the prime choice to start the Ashes series as the first choice opener for having an experience of 84 Tests.

Nonetheless, his overall form in international cricket has drastically regressed over the past two summers — he constantly got found out against Jasprit Bumrah in the last home season, only managing to score 184 runs in 10 innings in the series.

Since the Australian summer of 2023, the 38-year-old has only scored 543 runs in 20 innings at an average of 30.16, raising concerns over his future. However, to his respite,  his scores of 69, 46 and 87 in his last three outings for Queensland would instill some confidence in him for the Perth Test.

2. Jake Weatherald:

The 31-year-old Southpaw has earned his first-ever Test call-up on the back of his fantastic Sheffield Shield form. He finished the 2024/25 season as the leading run-scorer, racking up 906 runs in 10 matches at an average of 50.33 with three fifties and three hundreds.

He backed up the last season with the scores of 67, 57 and 94 in the first two rounds of the 2025/26 shield season and strengthened his case for the debut.

While he lacks international experience, his 77-match first-class career, scoring 5322 runs can come in handy if he is given the baggy green. Considering he carries no baggage of previous failures, he can offer them with some fresh positivity at the top.

3. Marnus Labuschagne:

Having played at number 3 throughout his international career, Marnus Labuschagne is adept to facing the new ball, in case the team asks him to open the inning — like he did in the World Test Championship Final.

After losing his number 3 spot to Cameron Green and getting dropped in the subsequent tour of the Caribbean, Labuschagne went back to Shield cricket and find his form again.

He went into the season, averaging only 31 in his last 49 Test innings and scoring 1364 runs, but managed to find his touch again and go on a run scoring spree. His consistent scores [130, 160, 105, 159, 101, 50] for Queensland have brought him back in contention to start in the playing XI for the Ashes.

4. Camron Green:

Green's return to Test cricket as a pure batter saw him being promoted to number 3 for Australia, with Beau Webster playing as an all rounder.

While he could not affect the final with the bat, his form post that game saw him finishing as the third-highest run-scorer of the West Indies tour, with 184 runs in 3 Tests, just 40 behind the top-scorer Travis Head.

He backed it up by quality white-ball performances on the same tour, and South Africa. Following his 118* against the Proteas, he has looked in a good touch in Shield cricket and scored a 94 in the last match for Western Australia, while also resuming to bowl.

Final verdict:

As things stand, all four of the aforementioned options have looked in good touch in recent months. However, only 3 will be able to find a place in the playing XI, with Steve Smith set to lead the team and bat at number 4.

Considering Pat Cummins' absence, Beau Webster is also unlikely to be left out of the team, for his all-round form and skill-set on on offer.

All things considered, the Aussies should stick to the Test experience of Khawaja and reward Labuschagne's domestic cricket form at the top of the order, followed by Green, who should also remain in the team, as he will be playing at home and should be given a longer rope at 3.

Weatherald might have to wait for his Test debut a bit longer. With a long series scheduled, his opportunity could also be just around the corner.