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Jude Bellingham has been handed a 2026 World Cup boost, with Nigel Winterburn exclusively telling GOAL that he does not expect Thomas Tuchel to overlook any “big names” when it comes to piecing together his England squad. There will inevitably be some disappointed performers when a 26-man group is named, but said selection will be loaded with talent.

Strength in depth: Who will make England's 2026 World Cup squad?

The Three Lions boast strength in depth across just about every department, with quality cover able to step in and counter any untimely form and fitness issues. Tuchel finds himself in the enviable position of dipping into a star-studded talent pool.

The odd question has been asked of England’s defensive options – particularly at left-back, where nobody has nailed down that role – but there is an abundance of options heading forward.

Harry Kane is the undisputed No.9 for his country, and the man in charge of the captain’s armband, with nobody breathing heavily down his neck just yet. When it comes to playmaking berths and wide attacking posts, picks become a little trickier to settle upon.

Bukayo Saka, Cole Palmer, Marcus Rashford, Anthony Gordon, Jack Grealish, Phil Foden, Morgan Rogers, Eberechi Eze, Jarrod Bowen, Noni Madueke, Jude Bellingham and Morgan Gibbs-White all harbour dreams of making the plane heading to the United States, Canada and Mexico next summer.

They cannot all get the nod. Questions have been asked of whether Real Madrid ‘Galactico’ Bellingham could be left behind, with Tuchel making it clear that he will not bring any divisive characters with him that threaten to disturb collective harmony.

AdvertisementBellingham under threat: Will Real Madrid star make the cut?

Quizzed on whether he can see Tuchel leaving a so-called ‘big name’ behind, ex-Three Lions defender Winterburn – speaking in association with – told GOAL: “No, I don’t. It would depend on who considers what player to be a big name. We are already seeing that Thomas Tuchel is about the team. He’s not afraid to make decisions, it doesn’t look like he is going to pamper anybody. You could flip it round a bit and say there are some players that we think might be there but due to form or injury won’t make the squad. Our attacking talent out wide is huge. I would suggest that there may be one or two of those players that may not make the squad. That is simply because of the amount of numbers we have got in those positions.”

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Tuchel warning & encouraging words from Henderson

Tuchel said when warning the likes of Bellingham and Palmer – who have missed games due to injury – that nobody is guaranteed a place in his squad: “For this moment we stick with our choice and the radical statement is that we don’t collect the most talented players. We collect the guys who have the glue and cohesion to be the best team. Because we need to arrive as the best team. We will arrive as underdogs at the World Cup because we haven’t won it for decades and we will play against teams who have repeatedly won it during that time. So we have to arrive as a team or we will have no chance.”

Those that work alongside Bellingham remain adamant that he is a positive presence in the England squad. Jordan Henderson has said of a player that he struck up a close bond with at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar: “He is very special, very special. We have a few special players in this squad, to be fair. But, with Jude, I think we all knew he was a very special player when he first came into the squad. The way he trains, the way he lives his life around football, loves the game, wants to improve and there is the ability that he has on the pitch. He is a world-class player and I know there will be a lot of stories and a lot of headlines, but for him, it is just about focusing on football.”

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Getty Images SportWorld Cup draw date: When England will discover group stage opponents

There will be another international break in March, as Bellingham and Co get a final opportunity to prove their worth to Tuchel. For now, though, everyone connected with the England camp is waiting to discover who they will face in the 2026 World Cup group stage – with that draw set to take place at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC on December 5.

With the January transfer window only a few weeks away, Glasgow Rangers head coach Danny Rohl will already be thinking about the positions that he wants to strengthen in.

There are several areas of the squad that could do with improvement ahead of the second half of the season, given that the Gers are nine points adrift of first place, and attacking midfielder is one of those positions.

Thelo Aasgaard was brought in from Luton in the summer transfer window, as one of 12 arrivals, and the number ten has failed to deliver regular quality on the pitch, with as many red cards (one) as goals (one).

The Norway international has produced one goal and one assist in 22 appearances, per Transfermarkt for Rangers, and his assist was a simple pass to Djeidi Gassama, who raced forward and scored from distance against Dundee.

Rangers told to sign Championship star in January

Now, the Light Blues have been predicted to make a move to re-sign one of their former players, who would arrive at Ibrox as an upgrade on Aasgaard.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Speaking on Clyde Superscoreboard, as relayed by The Scottish Sun, Livingston first-team coach Marvin Bartley has tipped Rangers to bring Joe Aribo back to the club in the January transfer window.

When asked about a possible deal, Bartley said: “I think that is one that could happen.”

“When a player enjoys somewhere, and obviously he had to leave because it was a really good offer that he got down the road, and he has not played as much football as he wanted to play. He is still a really, really good footballer and did well for Rangers. I wouldn’t be massively shocked if he came back in January.”

The Scottish Sun explains that Aribo is reportedly set to leave Southampton, whom he joined from Rangers for £10m in 2022, and could be available for a fee of £1.5m, amid interest from teams in Turkey.

Why Rangers should bring Joe Aribo back to Ibrox

For a fee of £1.5m, a deal to bring the Nigeria international back to Ibrox seems like a no-brainer on paper, because he still has plenty left to give at the age of 29 and has already proven himself in a Rangers shirt.

Plenty of players, most recently Steven Davis, Leon Balogun, and Allan McGregor, have returned for second spells in Glasgow, so it is not out of the ordinary for the club to re-sign one of their former stars.

Aribo’s current availability, as he has not started a league game for Southampton this season, provides the Light Blues with the perfect chance to bring him back for a fraction of the fee they raked in for him in 2022.

The left-footed star is a proven performer in Scottish football. During his time at Ibrox, the 29-year-old midfielder scored 26 goals and provided 25 assists in 149 appearances in all competitions, per Transfermarkt.

This shows that the £70k-per-week ace offered a regular threat at the top end of the pitch as both a scorer and a creator of goals for the Ibrox giants, whilst playing as a central midfielder, as an attacking midfielder, or on the right wing.

21/22

8

6

20/21

7

4

19/20

3

8

Total

18

18

As you can see in the table above, Aribo was as impressive at scoring goals as he was at creating them in the Premiership during his three season stint in Glasgow, which shows that he knows how to deliver quality in the top-flight.

Aasgaard, however, has failed to show that he has what it takes to be a consistent and reliable performer for Rangers in any competition, let alone the Premiership, which is why Rohl should be looking for an upgrade on him in January.

Aribo, who Ezri Konsa said has a “languid” style, has scored nine goals in 111 matches for Southampton to date, per Transfermarkt. He has not been as prolific as he was for the Gers, but 53 of those games came in the Premier League against high-quality opposition.

However, returning to the Premiership could reignite his career because it is a level that he is comfortable at and knows how to perform in, as evidenced by his time with the Gers before he moved to England.

Rohl must replace Rangers star who's having an "amazing time" at Ibrox

Danny Rohl must replace this Glasgow Rangers star when the January transfer window opens for business.

ByDan Emery 3 days ago

Therefore, Aribo could return to Ibrox as a big upgrade on Aasgaard in the number ten position as a player who can deliver goals and assists, to win crucial points for the team, on a regular basis, whilst the Norwegian has struggled on both fronts.

Mustafizur and Rishad share six wickets between them to skittle Ireland for 117

Mohammad Isam02-Dec-2025Tanzid Hasan’s unbeaten half-century and record-breaking five catches helped Bangladesh beat Ireland and clinch the series 2-1 in Chattogram. The home side fought back from 1-0 down to win their fifth T20I series in 2025. After left-arm seamer Mustafizur Rahman and wristspinner Rishad Hossain shared six wickets between them to dismiss Ireland for 117, Bangladesh chased the target with eight wickets and 38 balls to spare.Tanzid remained unbeaten on 55 off 36 balls, with four fours and three sixes. He added an unbroken 73-run partnership with Parvez Hossain Emon, who finished unbeaten on 33 off 26 balls.After opting to bat, Ireland were 50 for 1 in five overs, but they quickly slipped to 73 for 5. The visitors never recovered and were eventually bowled out in 19.5 overs. Tanzid became the first outfielder from a Full-Member nation to take five catches in a T20I. He took the last five catches of Ireland’s innings: four at long-on and one at gully.

Ireland’s lively start

Paul Stirling was quick off the blocks, clattering Mahedi Hasan for three fours in the first over, which cost Bangladesh 13 runs. Tim Tector then got into the act in the fourth over, with two fours and a straight six off Shoriful Islam. Tim’s innings, though, was cut short on 17 by the left-arm quick in the same over. Stirling didn’t hold back, despite the loss of his opening partner, slamming Mohammad Saifuddin over midwicket for a six. Harry Tector got off the mark with a square-driven four as Ireland reached their fifty by the fifth over.Tanzid Hasan claimed the Bangladesh record for the most catches in a T20I innings•BCB

Bangladesh roar back

Mustafizur Rahman started Ireland’s slide when he bowled Harry in the sixth over. After the ball had hit the inside edge, it began rolling back onto the stumps. Harry tried to kick it away but ended up falling over it instead, as the ball hit the stumps. Mahedi then trapped Lorcan Tucker lbw for 1, when he missed with a reverse sweep, though Bangladesh had initially appealed for caught behind.Rishad strangled Ireland further with three more wickets. He bowled Curtis Campher who was backing away to play a cut shot, then removed Stirling for 38 off 27 balls. No other Ireland batter passed 20.

Tanzid’s catching record

Rishad finished his spell with Gareth Delany’s wicket, caught at gully by Tanzid. It was the first of four consecutive catches by Tanzid. He held Mark Adair’s catch at long-on, in the 18th over. Later in the same over, Matthew Humphreys also holed out to Tanzid at long-on. A delighted Tanzid then took George Dockrell’s catch, also at long-on, in the next over.Tanzid’s fifth catch, in Ireland’s last over, was probably the best of the lot as he had to move a few yards to his right to complete Ben White’s catch. Before Tanzid, Maldives’ Wedage Malinda and Sweeden’s Sedik Sahak had also taken five catches in a T20I.

Tanzid leads the chase

After sparkling in the field, Tanzid was at it with the bat too, kickstarting the chase with three fours in three overs. Saif Hassan holed out to mid-on for 19, and Litton Das fell cheaply too, caught at the deep square-leg boundary off Harry. Tanzid, however, found an able ally in Parvez, who kept finding the boundary himself.After the powerplay, Tanzid went after legspinner Delany in the eleventh over. He swept the first ball for four, before mowing him over midwicket for his first six. Tanzid slammed Delany over wide long-on for another six in an over that cost Ireland 17 runs. Tanzid hit Craig Young for a six to reach his fifty, before Parvez struck the winning runs with a four in the 14th over.

Scott McTominay delivered yet another commanding Champions League performance as Napoli beat Qarabag 2-0. But beyond the goal, the dominance, and another Man of the Match award, the midfielder turned the spotlight toward Napoli’s unsung behind-the-scenes heroes, further showing why his influence under Antonio Conte goes far beyond the pitch.

• McTominay shifts focus to 'hidden heroes' as Napoli beat Qarabag

  Napoli secured a vital 2-0 Champions League win over Qarabag on Tuesday keeping their play-off hopes alive. McTominay was at the heart of it all, breaking the deadlock in the 65th minute with a goal directly from a corner before forcing Marko Jankovic’s own goal with a sharp swivelling volley seven minutes later. Napoli controlled possession, registered 17 shots and delivered when it mattered, all in the charged atmosphere of the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium on the fifth anniversary of the legend’s passing.

  McTominay’s leadership once again defined the night, earning him the Man of the Match award. Yet, instead of celebrating himself, he closed the evening with a remarkable gesture. In a brief but heartfelt note on Instagram, he dedicated his MVP display to Napoli’s kitmen-the hidden heroes, as he called them-who make the club function quietly and tirelessly in the background.

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• ‘The Real MVPs’ behind Napoli’s success

  In his post-match message on Instagram, the Scottish midfielder shared a locker-room picture with Napoli’s kit staff and wrote: “Champions League nights. True MVPs always.”

  Injured compatriot Billy Gilmour left a blue heart, while supporters called him “Prince Scott.” Even Napoli legend Dries Mertens applauded the gesture.

  The midfielder's seamless Neapolitanisation, both culturally and professionally, has become one of the club’s most celebrated success stories since his arrival.

• McTominay pushed back to central role amid injury crisis

  This season has demanded versatility from McTominay, and injuries to key midfielders have pushed him back into a role he knows well. With Kevin De Bruyne sidelined for up to four months following a biceps femoris tear and Zambo Anguissa also out with a high-grade hamstring lesion, Napoli’s midfield has been stretched.

  As a result, the ex-Manchester United player has returned to his preferred central midfield position, taking on deeper responsibilities beside Stanislav Lobotka. The shift has meant fewer forays into the box compared to last season’s advanced role, but the Scotsman has adapted without complaint, balancing defensive duties, pressing triggers, and tempo control while still contributing goals and assists.

  His ability to thrive in multiple systems, a 3-5-2, a 3-4-3, or a narrow three-man midfield—has reinforced why coach Conte trusts him so deeply. Even amid tactical reshuffling, McTominay continues to be one of Napoli’s most consistent performers, already contributing five goals this season across competitions.

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• AFP
  

  How Conte will navigate the games ahead?

  Since joining from United in 2024, McTominay has grown into a central pillar of Conte’s project. His first season culminated in a Serie A MVP award, a league title, and decisive goals that cemented his role as a clutch performer. With more than 2,700 minutes played last year, he has become one of Conte’s most trusted lieutenants who values him for his discipline, work rate, aerial power and an uncanny ability to arrive in the box at the perfect moment.

  In the current campaign, Conte will depend heavily on McTominay to stabilise the midfield, maintain control, and continue contributing offensively. The upcoming fixture list, Roma away on November 30, followed by Cagliari, Juventus, and a decisive Champions League tie against Benfica, will define Napoli’s campaign ahead. 

They beat Sri Lanka and Bangladesh respectively, but not in the most convincing ways

Valkerie Baynes05-Oct-20244:01

Takeaways: Australia and England off to winning starts

Australia and England safely navigated their opening contests of the Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 but the path ahead shimmered into perspective in the Sharjah heat with neither side fully exerting their dominance and both left with some work to do.India’s shock loss to New Zealand on Friday night had fuelled Australia’s status as trophy favourites and England’s as their closest challengers.And while Australia defeated Sri Lanka by six wickets with 34 balls to spare, they were less polished in the field than has been their trademark for eons and Beth Mooney’s unbeaten 43 off 38 balls represented the bulk of their successful 94-run chase.Related

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• Sharjah's lack of pace key to England, South Africa's fortunes

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• Schutt and Molineux set the tone for Australia, Mooney gets the job done

• Wyatt-Hodge, Smith to the fore as England grind past Bangladesh

England enjoyed the better of the conditions in their night game against Bangladesh, who restricted them to 118 for 7 before succumbing to a four-pronged spin attack in which Linsey Smith and Charlie Dean took two wickets each and Sarah Glenn one with spearhead Sophie Ecclestone going wicketless.England’s 21-run victory put them at the top of Group B with a superior net run rate to South Africa, who thumped West Indies by 10 wickets on Friday. Australia remained behind New Zealand on net run rate at the top of Group A.England team in a huddle ahead of the chase•ICC/Getty ImagesIt took England until the fourth over to find the boundary at the vast Sharjah Stadium. But when Danni Wyatt-Hodge struck two fours in three balls from Fahima Khatun and Maia Bouchier added back-to-back fours immediately before she was dropped on 16 slicing Marufa Akter to point, it looked like England’s attacking style was coming to the fore.By the end of the powerplay, England were looking good at 47 without loss but Bouchier fell in the seventh over. And while Wyatt-Hodge’s 41 at slightly better than a-run-a-ball propped up the innings, the loss of 5 for 37 in 8.2 overs gave Bangladesh a chance.Left-arm spinner Smith, in her first appearance at a World Cup since 2018, took 2 for 11 from her four overs and ran out Bangladesh captain Nigar Sultana while off-spinner Dean accounted for top-scorer Sobhana Mostary, who made 44, and opener Dilara Akter.”First game out, a few nerves with the bat, I thought we adapted quite early, which was good,” Wyatt-Hodge said. “Then with the ball, I thought the girls did a fantastic job. Linsey Smith was outstanding, her first game for England in a World Cup for a while, really happy for her.”Hopefully we can kick on, learn from tonight and put out another display the next game.”

“It was warm out there, it’s tough. And we probably could have done that a little easier with the bat, but conditions were tough out there.”Megan Schutt

For Australia, Megan Schutt opened with a maiden and by the end of the third over, Sri Lanka had only six runs on the board – half of them because Schutt overstepped twice – for the loss of one wicket, Vishmi Gunaratne pinned in front on the last ball of Schutt’s second over.Then Ashleigh Gardner struck with her eighth ball of the match to remove great hope Chamari Athapaththu, whose lean tournament with the bat continued when she fell lbw for just 3, having scored only 6 in Sri Lanka’s first loss to Pakistan.Australia’s start wasn’t blemish-free. Having opted for the pace of Darice Brown over another spin option, she endured a torrid first over with three front-foot no-balls, a wide and clubbed for four through extra cover by Harshitha Samarawickrama.After seven overs, Sri Lanka were 27 for 3 and it could have been more after 12 had Alyssa Healy not missed a chance to stump Samarawickrama and had Brown not put down the same batter running in from extra cover.Schutt led the way with 3 for 11 including back-to-back wickets in the final over but it was a less-than clinical performance in the field by Australia’s standards in an innings punctuated by soft dismissals.The early loss of Healy, and Georgia Wareham had Australia looking shaky but then Mooney marshalled their pursuit expertly, although she was dropped on 22 to Athapaththu’s disgust.Megan Schutt now has the joint-most wickets in Women’s T20 World Cups•ICC/Getty ImagesSchutt described New Zealand’s win against India, which came off the back of Australia’s 3-0 sweep of their series with New Zealand last month, as “pretty cool”. Australia play New Zealand next up on Tuesday back in Sharjah.”It opens up the tournament completely and shows if you have a lot of intent at the start, what that can do in the powerplays,” Schutt said. “It’ll be a great match. Obviously we’ve just come off a series against them in Australian conditions, so it’ll be even a tougher match-up here.”Defending champions doesn’t really mean anything in a new tournament. The slowness of the pitches brings in every single team to this tournament. It actually evens it out really nicely.”It was pretty exciting to go out there. We were pretty nervous to play at 2pm in terms of the heat and I think we handled that really well. We probably worked ourselves up a little bit more than what it was out there. The breeze was lifesaving. So I think we’ve acclimatised nicely to that and now we’ve moving into night game, which should be much more pleasant.”Australia also understood they had work to do ahead of their next game.”We probably could have been cleaner in the field,” Schutt said. “It was warm out there, it’s tough. And we probably could have done that a little easier with the bat, but conditions were tough out there and credit to them for getting the job done.”

Her promotion to No. 6 raised a few eyebrows, but she showed her finishing chops with a match-winning, unbeaten 62 in the first ODI

Shashank Kishore17-Jul-2025There’s little doubt that Deepti Sharma could walk into India’s ODI squad as a bowler alone. Her three five-wicket hauls – the most by an India player in Women’s ODIs – speak volumes of her bowling pedigree. Her batting, however, has often been a subject of debate – not over her ability but her approach.Across 92 ODI innings, Deepti’s strike rate sits at a modest 67.91. For someone who usually bats in the lower middle order, there’s a general sense that she hasn’t quite unlocked her full potential, despite being nearly a decade into her international career.She has struck at 77.74 since the start of 2022, but that’s still in the bottom half (35th) of the 57 batters to have scored at least 500 ODI runs in this period.Related

Harmanpreet embraces 'happy headache' with India's depth on the rise

Deepti digs deep to deliver India's four-wicket win

Which is why eyebrows were raised when she was promoted to No. 6, ahead of Richa Ghosh and Amanjot Kaur, in the first ODI against England on Wednesday in Southampton. India were 127 for 4 in the 28th over, with the required rate already nudging six an over.Deepti responded with an unbeaten 64-ball 62, forging crucial partnerships with Jemimah Rodrigues (48 off 54) and Amanjot (20* off 14) to help seal a four-wicket win with 10 balls to spare.”Whatever matches I’ve played, I’ve batted in similar situations,” Deepti said at the post-match press conference. “I knew the calmer I am, composed I am… that was the turning point. The focus was on building a partnership with Jemimah. I knew if we worked on the partnership, we could take the game close.”Deepti turned the strike and kept milking runs along with Rodrigues, with the pair adding 90 for the fifth wicket off just 86 balls. Deepti had only hit two boundaries until her 32nd ball – when she gave Lauren Bell the charge and walloped a six over deep midwicket – but had made 29 off her first 31 deliveries with largely risk-free cricket.Deepti hit three fours and this one-handed six over midwicket•Getty Images”I was not nervous because I’ve played in these kinds of situations earlier,” Deepti said. “I knew if I play till the end with Jemi, we can take the game deep. I was confident that if I was there till the end, I could finish the game. I was focusing on that. If Jemi hadn’t got out we could’ve finished the game earlier. After that, Richa and Aman played well, finishing the game with two boundaries. Credit to her.”Deepti spoke of communicating well with Rodrigues during the partnership. One of the plans was to be prepared for Lauren Filer’s bristling pace and potential short-ball tactics. Filer, easily the quickest bowler in sight in the first ODI, extracted lift off the surface every time she hit hard lengths.The ball she bowled to dismiss Rodrigues in her second spell – her sixth over – didn’t come out of the blue. Rodrigues attempted a scoop behind the wicket but only managed a tickle to the keeper with Filer finding extra bounce with her short ball. At that stage, India still needed 45 off 51 with five wickets in hand.Filer continued to trouble the batters – Deepti got lucky on 53 when she got cramped for room and sent a top-edged pull flying to the boundary – but England couldn’t quite exert pressure from the other end. And Deepti’s pragmatism helped India ride the wobbles.”We knew she’ll have to bowl in the end, and we planned really well for that,” Deepti said of the tussle with Filer. “We knew she’ll bowl short balls. We were pretty ready. The fields she put behind the stumps, it was clear. We were clear of our plans.”The win marked India’s fourth straight ODI victory in England, building on from their 3-0 sweep in 2022. They are building momentum heading into the World Cup, which they will host from September 30, but Deepti isn’t looking that far ahead yet.”As a team we’ve done some really good things, in Sri Lanka [where India won the tri-series in April] and here also. The World Cup is a little too far. We’re not thinking about that. We’re just thinking one match at a time.”

Visitors ensure third-placed finish, while Kent pick up the wooden spoon

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay27-Sep-2025

Derbyshire 698 for 6 dec (Reece 211, Madsen 198, Andersson 85, Donald 55, Dal 52*) beat Kent 271 (Ekansh 71, Dawkins 61, Morley 5-99) and 198 (Compton 65, Evison 53, Reece 5-63) by an innings and 229 runsDerbyshire routed Kent by an innings and 229 runs in their final Rothesay County Championship match of the season at Canterbury.Luis Reece, who scored 211 in Derbyshire’s only innings, took 5 for 63, while Ben Aitchison and Zak Chappell both took two wickets apiece as the visitors sealed third place in Division Two. Ben Compton was Kent’s top scorer with 65 but the home side already knew they would finish bottom, regardless of the outcome.Kent began day four on 135 for 5 in their second innings, 291 behind, and their tissue-paper thin hopes of avoiding defeat faded when they lost Harry Finch in the fourth over of the morning, lbw to Aitchison for 14.Aitchison, whose sister Holly is in the England squad for today’s Rugby World Cup final with Canada, then got the key wicket of Compton, again lbw and although Corey Flintoff hung around for 35 balls, he eventually pulled Chappell straight to Aneurin Donald at square leg and was caught for 11.Grant Stewart gave a sparse crowd some entertainment, hooking Chappell for six, but the bowler than had Matt Parkinson caught by Donald at short leg for a six-ball duck.The visitors concluded a win that had looked inevitable for the best part of three days when Michael Cohen flashed at Reece and was caught by a diving Brooke Guest, also without scoring. The wicket meant Reece became only the 51st person worldwide to score a double-century and take five wickets in a first-class match.

The battle to partner Usman Khawaja in Perth begins with an Australia A series in India ahead of three Shield rounds before the first Ashes squad is picked

Alex Malcolm14-Sep-2025Sam KonstasIt can be easy to forget that 19-year-old Konstas is actually the incumbent Test opener. It is also worth remembering that his name was not on anyone’s lips when a similar debate was happening 12 months ago around who should open in the Border-Gavaskar series, which proves how quickly things can change and how redundant this list of contenders may be come November.Konstas gets the opportunity to throw down an early marker in India as the only one of the true contenders to be sent on the Australia A trip, which is more of a development tour for 2027 and beyond than truly Australia’s second best XI. Bailey said in August that conditions in Lucknow will likely have no “great read through” to the Ashes and that Shield runs will be of more value. But a century or two, particularly against Mohammed Siraj in game two of the series, will do Konstas no harm.However, given his performances in the Caribbean and his overall first-class record, he would need to do a lot in the first three Shield games against WA at the WACA, Victoria at the Junction Oval and Queensland at the Gabba to prove that he is the right choice for the Ashes. The repeatability of his method and the tempo of his batting will again be examined closely as much as the runs he scores.Related

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Australia's next opener? Weatherald enjoying cricket 'like I did as a kid'

Australia's pace depth: Who's in the Ashes mix if Cummins and co run aground?

Marnus LabuschagneIt is hard to believe that a 31-year-old with a Test average of 46.19 and 11 centuries from 58 Tests is not an automatic starter in Australia’s XI for Perth. But Labuschagne’s decline has been alarming and it is the reason he was left out in the Caribbean. He has not scored a Test century since July 2023 and has not scored a century in any of his last 42 international or domestic innings across all three forms. He has just one half-century in his last 16 which was in the Shield final in March.He has been scoring centuries and half-centuries in club T20 and state 50-over practice matches in the last fortnight. It is likely he has the least to do to prove his case for the Ashes. The selectors and coaching staff need only to see a version of the old busy and reliable Labuschagne in the early Shield rounds and or the ODIs against India. A couple of two-hour-plus innings, showcasing the technical work he did with batting coach Michael Di Venuto during the Caribbean tour, could be enough to get him picked in the first Test.There will be no concerns with him opening rather than batting at No. 3 despite limited experience. He has more first-class opening experience (17 innings), and as many hundreds (two) in the position, as both Konstas and Nathan McSweeney did when they were selected to open against India last year. The main concern may come with pairing he and Khawaja together in terms of their respective scoring rates. There is a world where Labuschagne could also return to No. 3 but that would probably require he and another contender to be in red-hot form, Cameron Green to be flying with the ball and Beau Webster’s batting form to tail off significantly before the first Test.Jake Weatherald is the most in-form uncapped domestic batter in Australia•Getty ImagesJake WeatheraldThe left-hander has the best chance of any uncapped player to earn a debut in the Ashes. He has been the most in-form domestic batter, let alone opener, in first-class cricket in Australia over the past 12 months. At 30, he is playing the best cricket of his life and enjoying it more than ever after experiencing significant ups and downs both on and off-field in his first decade as a professional.Unlike Konstas and Labuschagne, his game is not in a state of flux. Weatherald is well past tinkering with his technique, method, and preparation. He is also scoring at the fastest rate of his career, having struck at 67.23 in his last 20 innings while piling up 1143 runs, including four scores of 145-plus. From a tempo and style perspective, he is the perfect fit in a top four that has a tendency to absorb rather than put pressure back on the bowlers. A continuation of his spectacular form last summer in the early Shield rounds against Queensland, WA and potentially a Scott Boland-led Victoria attack would make him difficult to ignore.Marcus HarrisHarris is a perennial contender and remains in the selectors’ thoughts despite not playing a Test match since the 2021-22 Ashes and only averaging 25.29 from 14 appearances. There are several factors in his favour. The selectors know the cauldron of the Ashes won’t be an issue for him. He played four of the five Tests in 2021-22 and top-scored with 76 in his third last Test innings on the worst pitch of the series at the MCG against James Anderson, Mark Wood and Ben Stokes. He is also coming off scoring 1027 runs at 60.41 in the County Championship for Lancashire, including three centuries and five half-centuries.Factors counting against Harris are that he is 33 and all of those Championship runs came in Division Two batting at No. 4 and 5. He has also averaged just 34.20 in 55 Shield innings since his last Test appearance, with three of his four centuries coming at the Junction Oval. He averages less than 32 at all of Australia’s Test grounds in that time. His strike-rate has also dropped to 46.49 over that period, compared to his career rate of 53.09. Harris would need to return to the fluent, high-scoring player that he was when first selected in 2018-19 in order to jump to the top of the queue. There is a chance he may bat at No.3 for Victoria but that is unlikely to affect his chances should he score heavily.