Jake Weatherald and Brendan Doggett will make their Test debuts as Australia drops Beau Webster from the starting XI for the Ashes opener at Optus Stadium.

Australian skipper Steve Smith is expected to confirm the bold selection move, which sees two debutants in the same Test for the first time since 2019 when Kurtis Patterson and Jhye Richardson came in to face Sri Lanka.

Weatherald, 31, will open the batting alongside Usman Khawaja, allowing Marnus Labuschagne to return to his preferred No.3 position. Cameron Green will reclaim the traditional all-rounder role at No.6.

The Northern Territory-raised Weatherald will become Khawaja’s sixth opening partner since David Warner retired from Test cricket in January 2024.

Weatherald’s Tasmania teammate Webster misses out, dropped after playin

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