Weatherald has some very big shoes to fill

Australia's tortuous search to replace swashbuckling opener David Warner is over with Jake Weatherald (right) set to pad up in the first Ashes Test, but the selection can't paper over the ageing side's glaring weakness at the top of the order.

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Steve Smith, Nathan McSweeney, Sam Konstas, Travis Head and Marnus Labuschagne have all been through the revolving door of opening partners for Usman Khawaja since Warner retired in January 2024.

The age of the squad announced Wednesday for the first Test has also come under scrutiny, with the only player under 30 being all-rounder Cameron Green.

The selection of the uncapped Weatherald at 31 to partner the 38-year-old Khawaja has again thrown the spotlight on the lack of young batting talent coming through.

"Right now, we cannot dodge the bullet, it is around our top order," Matthew Hayden, one of Australia's greatest openers, told the Sydney Daily Telegraph.