Mission accomplished.
Yet again the Ashes urn has been safely secured on home soil well ahead of schedule.
While the English clearly have far greater problems to worry about right now, it doesn’t mean all of this summer’s questions have been answered for the Australian camp.
Far from it, in fact.
Yes, the difference between the two nations has been clear—and, at times, cavernous—but there are several genuine questions that remain unanswered as the ageing Australian squad moves towards an inevitable changing of the guard.
These are the five burning questions that will heavily shape the fortunes of Australian Test cricket over the next 12-36 months.
1. How much credit does Cameron Green have left in the bank?
He may be worth $4.1 million in IPL. But all-rounder Cameron Green has gone deep into the red when it comes to Test match selection credit following a largely underwhelming Ashes series to date. Many felt Tasmania’s Beau Webster should have been in the XI from the start, will the trigger get pulled for Boxing Day?
2. Does Travis Head remain at the top of the order?
By any measure Head’s shift to opener has been an outrageous success. While traditional logic suggested it was only a stop-gap measure, the stats don’t lie. ‘Travball’ is a winner and it would take a huge call to push him back down the order any time soon.
3. Is there still a place for Josh Hazlewood?
How things change. Heading into the Ashes series Josh Hazelwood was in brilliant form for the Australian T20 and ODI sides. But an untimely injury opened the door for others and Boland, Doggett and Neser have done little wrong with their chances. It would be cruel if this is the end of Hoff’s stellar Test career, but is it?
4. With Nathan Lyon’s injury, what does the Test XI look like in the post GOAT era?
Nothing lasts forever and it’s only fair to expect more injuries as the key members of Australia’s revered bowling attack head deeper into their thirties. Top of that list is Nathan Lyon at 38 and it will be fascinating to see which tweaker gets the nod in his place for Melbourne and possibly beyond.
5. When does the succession process begin?
It’s painful but necessary—and better done too soon than too late. With the Ashes now safely secured for another cycle, the Australian selectors will surely have no better opportunity to start the process of replenishing an ageing Test side than right now. While few would begrudge Usman Khawaja an SCG swan song, particularly given his form in Adelaide, it’s also the perfect moment to start blooding the next generation. Heart says keep him in the side, but the head may have other ideas.