In-form batsman Usman Khawaja has been selected to play his first one-day international in three years when Australia meet New Zealand in the second match of their series in Wellington on Saturday.
The Perth Stadium curator has promised the wicket will be green, fast and bouncy but Stokes offered no thoughts on whether England would attack with four quicks or pick the specialist spinner, Shoaib Bashir, in their 11.
Pakistan, after a defeat against India, face Namibia in a must-win match to qualify for the Super 8s. Their fragile batting and Shaheen Afridi's form are key concerns, while Namibia aims to play spoiler.
'You hear things like 'the players are playing afraid' or whatnot, but that's what happens when you drop players all the time. We've been doing that a fair bit lately'
Australia bowled out Sri Lanka for 231 in the hosts' second innings and then chased down the target of 75 losing the lone wicket of opener Travis Head.
Top order batsman Usman Khawaja has been omitted from Australia's annual list of 20 elite, contracted players in 2020 after falling out of favour with selectors midway through last year's Ashes. The 33-year-old lefthander has not played for the Test side since being dropped after the third match against England in Leeds last August.
Having recovered from a hamstring strain, Usman Khawaja celebrated his recall with a glittering 144, with Queensland team mate Joe Burns making 128 in front of a festive Melbourne Cricket Ground crowd to drive Australia to 345-3 at stumps.
Australia's young opener Sam Konstas accepted responsibility for an on-field spat with Jasprit Bumrah on Day 1 of the Sydney Test.
'I was born in Islamabad but my parents are from Karachi, so this one meant a lot'
Khawaja and Stoinis were included despite losing their national contracts after falling out of favour with selectors over the home summer.
'We love competing and winning against a very good Indian side. It's always nice to do that, especially on their turf'
Khawaja said that he and Finch compliment each other really well and they share a good rapport.
Uncapped McSweeney to open with Khawaja in India series
Australia opener Usman Khawaja has vented his frustration after the team lost 10 World Test Championship (WTC) points for slow over-rates.
Australia coach Darren Lehmann will have a 'private chat' with Usman Khawaja after the top order batsman publicly criticised selectors for dropping him during the Sri Lanka tour. Khawaja and opener Joe Burns were omitted for the third and final test in Colombo, which Australia lost to slump to a 3-0 series whitewash. Although both the Queenslanders struggled for runs, Khawaja told local media over the weekend he felt they were unfairly singled out.
Usman Khawaja hit an impressive century ahead of the three-Test series against Sri Lanka, as Australia took the upper hand in their warm-up match against Sri Lanka Board XI's in Colombo on Friday. The Pakistan-born batsman scored 101 before retiring, as the tourists amassed 311-5 in their first innings in reply to a the Sri Lanka Board XI's 258 at stumps on the penultimate day of the three-day game.
Images from Day 1 of the third Test between Australia and India in Brisbane on Saturday.
The entire Australian top-order that is feeling the "pressure" despite the series-levelling win in Adelaide
After left-armer Afridi's two early wickets, Australia could have been in even deeper trouble but Pakistan failed to capitalise on chances offered by Khawaja and Smith.
Usman Khawaja will have an opportunity to audition for Ricky Ponting's spot in the Test team after the left-hander was named captain of the Australia Chairman's XI to take on Sri Lanka in Canberra next week.
Joe Root looks on course not only to break Sachin Tendulkar's century record in Tests but could also overtake his record run-scoring tally.
Usman Khawaja is doubtful for the day-night Test against New Zealand in Adelaide later this month after the Australian top order batsman re-injured his left hamstring while fielding at the WACA on Saturday.
Batsmen Usman Khawaja, Adam Voges and Joe Burns have been rewarded for their strong form over the past 12 months by being awarded central contracts by Cricket Australia on Friday.
With Green out with injury, Bancroft's chances have brightened.
Mahmood has played two Tests, 9 ODIs and 18 T20s for England.
Australia have drafted in wicketkeeper-batsman Matthew Wade as replacement for injured Usman Khawaja ahead of Thursday's Cricket World Cup semi-final against England, the International Cricket Council said on Wednesday.
A heated exchanged between India captain Jasprit Bumrah and Australia opener Sam Konstas lit up an eventful Day 1 of the fifth and final Test.
On Day 5 of the 3rd Test at the Gabba in Brisbane, Bumrah shook up Australia's top order early after lunch to carve his name in the annals of Indian cricket history.
Usman Khawaja is all set to split with his long-term manager Daniel Zammit after the latter had supported the batsman's controversial axing from the Australian team for the third Test against India, starting in Mohali on Thursday.
Virat Kohli's conduct came under the microscope in the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne on Thursday after a clash of shoulders with teen debutant Sam Konstas, but the incident did little to knock the Australian wonder boy off his stride.
Australia had South Africa reeling at 43-4 at the close on Wednesday after being put in to bat first and scoring 212.
Pakistan-born Australian batsman Usman Khawaja on Tuesday claimed that his visa for travelling to India to participate in next month's Champions League T20 was held up because of his country of birth.
Debutant Usman Khawaja briefly lit up a gloomy first day of the fifth Ashes Test on Monday but Australia's batting frailties and rain returned later in the day to leave the hosts wobbling on 134-4 at the close of play.
Usman Khawaja batted bravely for nearly nine hours to make 141 and help Australia salvage a draw in the first Test against Pakistan, in Dubai, on Thursday.
Bumrah, who claimed an eight-wicket match haul in India's 295-run win in the series opener, showed signs of discomfort while bowling the 81st over of Australia's innings.
A day after he was denied an Indian visa, Australian cricketer Usman Khawaja was issued one to compete in the Champions League Twenty20 next month with the Indian Consulate in Melbourne insisting that the initial rejection had nothing to do with him being born in Pakistan.
'I got pulled out of that series to prepare for India and then not playing was a bit hard'
Khawaja passed a fitness Test on Monday after recovering from a hamstring injury and Langer confirmed the left-hander will bat at number three, while fast bowler Pattinson is set to feature in his first Test match since Feb. 2016.
Captain Usman Khawaja and his opening partner, Joe Burns, smashed scintillating centuries as Australia 'A' thrashed a hapless India 'A' by 119 runs in the second tri-series match in Chennai on Friday.
Former England captain Vaughan said Australia should consider having Mitchell Marsh open with Khawaja.
