The next Ashes series is just 18 months away. Here’s what Australia need to do to win again

Nathan McSweeney got the rough end of the Kookaburra last summer when Shanghai opened against India and Jasprit Bumrah after building an impressive resume in the middle order. Perhaps now is the time to let it settle into more familiar surroundings as renovations begin before the 2027 Ashes in England – which is just 18 months away.

Sam Konstas is still only 20, which I keep reminding punters and critics. After: “Why didn’t we play a spinner at the SCG?” I think the question I’ve gotten the most in the last week is, “What happened to Sam Konstas?

Well, he’s alive and well and running in the Sheffield Shield – and the Shield is where the selectors should be keeping an eye when it kicks off again in early February.

Left-handed batsman Campbell Kellaway is one of those for the future and may well join his Australia Under-19 partner Konstas at the top of the order if the Shield runs continue. Both have time and talent in their hands.

Matthew Renshaw has been in superb four-day form and has just been pipped by Jake Weatherald – on whom the jury is still out – for the starting spot at the start of the summer. It would be harsh to drop Jake after a winning Ashes campaign, but his numbers don’t stack up and many who came before him – Konstas and McSweeney to name two – have been dumped by better ones. He has featured in some useful partnerships with Head and that will keep him in the conversation. But again, there is no outstanding candidate to enter first.

Voters can pat themselves on the back for a successful campaign, but their succession plans have been marred by a lack of continuity. The trick to picking is identifying the best talent and then letting coaches, playing time and teammates do the work of development.

There is a lot of talent in state cricket. Weatherald proved that at 31 you can reap the benefits of hard work, continuity in state selection and the development of your game. There is a national will for him to become a long-term Test player, but selectors have not backed their recent selections with patience, second-guessing themselves at the slightest provocation.

Lyon’s successor is lurking in the state ranks. Todd Murphy has taken 22 wickets in seven Tests already in Lyon’s absence. But when the Sydney Test came around, the selectors retreated into their bowling security blanket, robbing Murphy not only of a Test match on home soil – and he would take wickets on that ground – but also of vital experience and development. Just as they robbed Konstas of a Test match in Sri Lanka and a Test World Cup final, they then bought him back on difficult pitches in the West Indies.

Left-arm batsman Matt Kuhnemann quite rightly got the World Cup nod. He is improving every year and can do the job in Test cricket as well. WA’s Corey Rocchiccioli is pushing it hard and leggy Mitch Swepson and Tanveer Sangha are destined for higher honours. There is spin talent, but seam bowling candidates are less obvious.

Loading

Mitchell Starc will bowl as long as he wants. Perhaps its most notable feature is its ability to maintain speed over the years. Jhye Richardson, who returned to the Test team in Melbourne, was a disappointment as his penetration is all about speed and he never hit 140km/h. There are plenty of 130-135km/h seamers running around, but Test cricket demands more.

Can Spencer Johnson overcome his injuries and play first-class cricket? A quick lefty to back up or replace Starc would be nice. NSW left-hander Ben Dwarshuis has been playing so well in T20s, improving all the time and hitting the 140km/h mark consistently. Will Mahli Beardman or Tom Whitney or Ryan Hadley step up?

Young shooters Cooper Connolly and Jake Fraser-McGurk look set to put their eggs in T20 basketball. It’s shield-level feats that should get you into the testing conversation. National selectors need not be confused by the white ball’s stance – look what it has done to England’s Test cricket.

For all of these candidates, the quality of pitches around the country needs to be addressed. 22 yards of first-class pitch is a space that presents a tough test – handy if participants have an idea of ​​the syllabus. Adam Lewis produced a classic Test pitch at the SCG: good bounce at the start and spin at the death. Many Shield pitches are lush enough to produce cash crops and this will not encourage hardy batsmen or bowlers.

The 2025-26 Ashes were compelling viewing. Battles with the oldest enemy generally are. Australia’s victory was no doubt beautiful, but if this result is to be repeated in 2027, there is still a lot of work to be done.