Their last Ashes meeting ended in a 2–2 stalemate, a series remembered for drama, high run-rates and momentum shifting from hour to hour. Now they meet again in very different conditions, under very different circumstances, with both sides carrying fresh storylines into Perth. As we head into the first test here is a look at Australia vs England 1st test preview, pitch report, probable playing Xi.
Australia vs England 1st Test Preview
Australia will begin this Ashes with more questions than they usually carry. Much of their old core is still in place, with Smith, Khawaja, Lyon, Starc and Boland all past 30, and for many of them this could be their last home Ashes.
Missing Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood leaves a clear gap in leadership and workload, something Australia are not used to dealing with. Their replacements are capable, but the calm reliability that Cummins and Hazlewood usually bring can’t be replaced right away.
There’s also concern at the top of the order. Khawaja hasn’t passed fifty in his last ten innings and has had five different partners since Warner retired. Australia are giving Jake Weatherald a debut after a strong domestic season, but the change shifts their batting order again. Marnus Labuschagne will return to No. 3. This is still a side with plenty of quality, but they are carrying more uncertainty than usual.
England have arrived at the Ashes with a very different mood. Ben Stokes is in superb touch with bat and ball, looking as sharp as he has in years. Jofra Archer’s return has added another layer of excitement, though England will manage his workload carefully. The squad is much younger, with nine players under 30 and more than half yet to play a Test in Australia. That inexperience is a challenge, but it also brings hunger and fearlessness.
Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum know this is a rare opening. Australia are missing key bowlers, and Perth, for all its reputation, is still a relatively new Test venue with unpredictable behaviour. England can sense that the timing might finally be right.
How will teams approach the 1st Test?
Australia will rely on discipline, home comfort and the pace and bounce that Perth naturally offers. Their pitches are harsher and more demanding than the flatter, batting-friendly surfaces England usually play on. Scott Boland’s accuracy, Starc’s left-arm angle and Lyon’s experience will form the core of their attack, but with Cummins and Hazlewood missing, the pressure on all three increases.
England’s biggest test will be adapting quickly. Several of their top-order players, including Duckett, Brook and Jamie Smith, have never played red-ball cricket in Australia. Coping with shoulder-high bounce and late movement under the lights will be a completely new challenge. Much depends on Joe Root, whose record in Australia is still the one gap in his legacy. He has not scored a Test hundred there, and England will need him to set the tone.
They will also look to Ben Stokes to turn crucial moments their way. His intensity with the ball and his influence as a leader give England an edge they did not have on their last Ashes tour. This young England side will try to play with their usual tempo, but they will need to judge conditions carefully and be ready for the unpredictable bounce Perth can produce as the match wears on.
Australia vs England 1st Test Pitch Report: What to expect in Perth?
Perth comes with a lot of uncertainty. The venue, the Optus Stadium is still relatively new in Test cricket, and the recent stormy weather across Western Australia has made preparation even trickier. The pitch is a drop-in surface that was laid only four weeks ago. The groundstaff sound confident, but even they admit that nobody will truly know how it behaves until the first session begins.
The practice strips have shown sharp bounce, movement off the seam and a bit of up-and-down variation. Mitchell Starc mentioned that the ball was doing plenty in the nets, even though he feels it may not turn out to be the “green monster” some local reports suggested.
Traditionally, Perth pitches start lively and then settle down through Days 2 and 3. But last year’s Test against India showed another side of this venue, with cracks opening much earlier than expected and making batting difficult in the later stages. This year’s heavy spring rain and fluctuating temperatures add more unpredictability. The curators are not sure how quickly the surface will dry out or when cracks will begin to appear.
What is clear is that the start of the match will be crucial. Batting early might require patience, but batting last on this pitch could be the toughest task of all.
AUS vs ENG 1st Test 2025 Probable XI
Australia (Confirmed XI): Usman Khawaja, Jake Weatherald, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith (C), Travis Head, Cameron Green, Alex Carey (WK), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Brendan Doggett, Scott Boland
England (Probable XI): Ben Duckett, Zak Crawley, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (C), Jamie Smith (WK), Gus Atkinson, Jofra Archer, Mark Wood, Shoaib Bashir
