*Official* Road to the 2025-26 Ashes

[the big bambino]

Pretty sure McSweeney was dropped for Konstas and Marnus for Green.

 

[Gob]

The recent rumours that Lyon being dropped for the d/n Test really didn't go down well aren't encouraging in that regard

There were some reports suggesting that, upon receiving the news from George Bailey before the game, Nathan apparently grab his crotch and said ' drop this' or something down the line and walked away shaking his head.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Pretty sure McSweeney was dropped for Konstas and Marnus for Green.

Not quite. That was last summer. Marnus was directly dropped for Konstas after the WTC final

 

[the big bambino]

Marnus opened in that match for Konstas, and failed. It was his last chance and the selectors finally ran out of patience.

 

[Burgey]

Don’t know that much about him, just looked at one of his recent matches and Weatherald made 140 against Bird, Abbott, Dwarshuis

He had a **** summer the season before last and wasn't recalled to the Tassie side til about round three or four last season. Three or so years ago he won that Bradman young cricketer award, and I think he ended up averaging 50 odd the past season batting three, though he's opened the rest of his career.

Desperately want to see a lot of blokes in their State top 3 making runs early season, him included.

 

[Burgey]

There were some reports suggesting that, upon receiving the news from George Bailey before the game, Nathan apparently grab his crotch and said ' drop this' or something down the line and walked away shaking his head.

Good on him. Was the correct reaction tbh

 

[Gob]

Quite a few reports going around suggesting that Marnus will be back at 3 and Green will, bowling permitting, push Webster out.

Now as much as I like to see a proven test player back batting at 3, it would be a madness to drop Webster. Green is not all that suited to number 6 anyways

 

[TheJediBrah]

Quite a few reports going around suggesting that Marnus will be back at 3 and Green will, bowling permitting, push Webster out.

Now as much as I like to see a proven test player back batting at 3, it would be a madness to drop Webster. Green is not all that suited to number 6 anyways

Those "reports" are clowns like Brendon Julian talking rubbish. There's no veracity to them, Big Beau is safe

 

[Gob]

Those "reports" are clowns like Brendon Julian talking rubbish. There's no veracity to them, Big Beau is safe

It was also suggested by bharat sundaresan. He is one of the sane ones

 

[TheJediBrah]

It was also suggested by bharat sundaresan. He is one of the sane ones

That's not a "report" though is it, just a bad opinion/speculation

 

[Prince EWS]

That's not a "report" though is it, just a bad opinion/speculation

I think I'd sooner even open with Webster than leave him out at this stage. The standard of parts of Australia's batting has been way too poor to drop someone making Test runs.

 

[Spark]

Why would anyone be surprised at him getting dropped? We've seen already that there's a preferred XI and that's the end of the story, it doesn't really matter what anyone outside that preferred XI does.

 

[the big bambino]

I'd be surprised and I'm guessing so would most, including the press. There'd be no good reason to drop Webster after all the runs he's scored on mambas. I think there would be uproar if that happened that would lead to speculation the selectors are not doing their job with consequent questions as to why they shouldn't be replaced.

 

[TheJediBrah]

I think I'd sooner even open with Webster than leave him out at this stage. The standard of parts of Australia's batting has been way too poor to drop someone making Test runs.

After Smith he's probably our most reliable batsman atm

Head is mercurial and can win a game with a run-a-ball 150 out of nowhere, and Carey has been in good counter-attacking form but for reliability it's Smith followed by Webster

He's also shown that he's a superior Test cricketer to Green over the last year which makes the idea of dropping him to fit Green in a strange one

 

[GoodAreasShane]

I really don't see why it would be an either or proposition? I kinda sorta get the bowling thing (Green is definitely a more interesting bowler IF his body allows it) but there is a strong argument that Webster is top 6 in the country on batting alone on the basis of his form (international and domestic) over the last three years or so. I can't see any good reason why they can't coexist in the same team

Also, someone with a great body of FC work behind them looking comfortable in Test cricket? Who ever possibly could have thought that

 

[honestbharani]

If they drop Webster, they deserve to lose the home Ashes. WTAF? I dont think even Gambhir would do something that stupid.

 

[TheJediBrah]

If they drop Webster, they deserve to lose the home Ashes. WTAF? I dont think even Gambhir would do something that stupid.

No one that matters is saying it

 

[cascade]

Bharat had also dropped Webster from his WTC Final XI in favour of Green and Konstas, so I don't think people need to worry too much about his predictions.

Random gossip via Ed Cowan is that he heard Jason Sangha will be at the upcoming Aus cricket content capture day. So potentially he's closer to selection than anyone assumes. I can't see where he'd fit though.

 

[Nintendo]

Correct, and this incumbency/entitled thing needs to be dispensed with.

Marnus has also said to media something along the lines of “I’m willing to come back and open or bat at #3”.

I mean, sure mate. You’re talented and you could. But the way you do that is making a few FC hundreds and pushing your way back in. Not by media statements. Same as Khawaja saying he’ll mentor Konstas. lol. Just make some runs.

Management of Marnus recently has been really annoying. There's been an A-series against sri lanka he could have played, but the selectors dragged him around with the ODI team instead. He could have gone back to Glamorgan after being dropped post WTC and got 2-3 rounds of county cricket in, but instead the selectors kept him in the squad vs WI as a backup bat. International bowlers have figured out how to bowl to him, he needs some consistent time at domestic level to figure that out and adjust.

 

[Prince EWS]

Bharat had also dropped Webster from his WTC Final XI in favour of Green and Konstas, so I don't think people need to worry too much about his predictions.

Random gossip via Ed Cowan is that he heard Jason Sangha will be at the upcoming Aus cricket content capture day. So potentially he's closer to selection than anyone assumes. I can't see where he'd fit though.

I can definitely see how he'd end up first reserve batsman, especially if Marnus opened, so that could mean he was going to be named in a 14 man squad or two.