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Shastri: The Aussie who should have made Ashes squad
Nicholas Quinlan • November 7th, 2025 7:44 pm
Indian cricketing great Ravi Shastri has admitted his surprise at Queensland fast bowler Xavier Bartlett not being called up for Australia’s 15-man squad for the First Ashes Test.
The 26-year-old, since making his international debut for Australia at the start of last year in the white ball squads, has been considered as a potential Test player for the national team, after having shown strong form.
In the five ODIs that he has played, the right-armer has managed to average 11 with the ball and taken 15 wickets, which sees him sit third highest for wickets taken by an Australian in the format following his first five matches, alongside having the second lowest average.
While in the 15 IT20s that he has played, he has maintained a bowling average of 19.
With such strong white ball form in the lead up to the Ashes series, Shastri, who played 80 Test matches for India, would have liked to see Bartlett make the 15-man squad heading to Perth for the First Test.
“I saw the Australian 15 (man squad) being announced. I thought Xavier Bartlett might get a nod in the 15,” he explained on SENQ Breakfast.
“Having said that, it is still a pretty good bowling attack and in Australian conditions, Perth surface, extra bounce, it will test England.
Shastri also offered some advice to the England team ahead of the series as they look to win a Test match down under for the first time in 14 years.
Having coached the Indian side between 2017 and 2021, Shastri does know a thing or two about winning in Australia, having been the only coach to have seen India win a Test series in Australia.
And if England is to replicate the feat in this series, he believes that they need to set the tone and get wins early in the series.
“But in the long term, I think England will challenge,” Shastri continued.
“If you look at the last two or three series that they have come to Australia, they’ve been blown away. But on this occasion, I think if their fast bowlers are fully fit for the first three Test matches, they can make inroads.
“And their best chance is without Cummins playing, so expect a better performance from England, but the adjustment will have to be quick.”
The Ashes get underway on November 21 at Optus Stadium in Perth, with SEN having LIVE coverage of every ball bowled throughout the series.
