Jake Weatherald set to become the sixth opening partner for Usman Khawaja since David Warner’s exit

Ashes 2025: Jake Weatherald is set to become Usman Khawaja’s sixth opening partner since David Warner retired.

Since David Warner’s Test retirement in the first week of 2024, Australia have struggled to solidify their opening combination. They used five different players to partner Usman Khawaja, who himself struggled while opening the batting. Going into the opening Ashes 2025/26 Test at the Optus Stadium in Perth, the opening slot remains a concern for the hosts.

During the previous Ashes 2020/21 down under, the Pat Cummins-led side didn’t get successful starts in most games. They recorded only two fifty-run opening stands in Melbourne and Sydney. Among openers, Warner earned the most success with 273 runs in eight innings at an average of 34.12. However, that can be rated as an average performance at best.

Australia’s continuous Test opening struggle since David Warner’s retirement
Warner was a different beast at the opening position for Australia. The southpaw was the leading run-getter among the side’s openers with 8747 runs in 202 innings at an average of 45.

With his aggressive batting, he used to create pressure on opponent captains to spread out the field. This used to release pressure for the new batters to take some singles and adjust according to the conditions.

But since his retirement, it has been a crisis for the WTC 2021-23 champions in the opening position. Khawaja registered 829 runs in 29 innings as an opener at an average of 31.88. But out of those 829 runs, nearly 25 pc of runs came in one innings as his highest score of 232. Apart from that best score, the Queensland batter has 597 runs in 28 innings at an average of nearly 21.

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Most Test runs for Australia openers since David Warner’s retirement

Khawaja opened with five different partners in the last 22 months. Steven Smith got 171 runs with a best score of 91* at the Gabba against West Indies. But his promotion as the opener means Australia had several changes in the batting order.

Sam Konstas’ overall record of 163 runs in 10 innings as an opener was not satisfying to the selectors. Similarly, Nathan McSweeney struggled at the opening slot with 72 runs in six innings at an average of 14.40. These factors pushed the selectors to move towards handing Jake Weatherald a maiden call-up in the Ashes 2025/26.

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Weatherald set to become Khawaja’s sixth opening partner since Warner’s retirement
Weatherald was the leading run-getter in the Sheffield Shield 2025/26. He scored 906 runs in 18 innings at an average of 50.33 with the help of three fifties and three centuries and a best score of 186. Even in the ongoing season, the left-handed batter has already scored three half-centuries in eight innings at an average of 37.62.

Australia’s chief selector, George Bailey, was really happy with Weatherald’s success for Tasmania and Australia A in the last 14 months. He was also impressed with the southpaw’s natural attacking approach with the bat.

“I think it’s a pretty solid record for sort of 18-24 months. I don’t think there’s any one innings, but there’s been a good consistency, I think, in the way that he approaches his batting. I think he’s in a really clear place. We don’t see any sort of shifting innings to innings from the way he goes about it,” Bailey said in the squad selection press conference.

Out of the six openers since Warner’s retirement, Weatherald would be the most experienced one in first-class cricket for the position. Each one of his 145 first-class innings has come while opening the batting. In the net sessions, the southpaw took on the brutal spell from Pat Cummins, facing a lion’s share of his eight overs.

Later, he was up against the nip and awkward bounce of Beau Webster before shifting his focus to Nathan Lyon’s spin. However, it will be a challenge for the 31-year-old recording his 5322 first-class runs at an average of 37.47. 

But England would smell the golden chance to draw first blood early in the innings. They would have the fiery pace of Jofra Archer and Mark Wood, along with Gus Atkinson and Brydon Carse. Looking at the 12-member squad they have picked for the opener in Perth, they are most certain to pick a five-man pace attack, including Ben Stokes.

The key for Stokes’ army would be to bring Smith early in the middle against the new ball. For that plan to be successful, they need to break Australia’s opening partnership.

If Weatherald and Khawaja struggle in the first couple of games, the home selectors will have the chance to try different options. But for now, the eyes are on the Ashes 2025/26 opener on November 21 at the Optus Stadium in Perth.

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