Australia's selection chairman George Bailey has revealed David Warner and Usman Khawaja are the likely opening combination for the three-Test tour of Pakistan.
Selectors confirmed an 18-man squad on Tuesday, revealing that Marcus Harris had also been selected, raising eyebrows after a dismal Ashes series which saw him make just a single half-century in four Tests.
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Khawaja, who has been batting in the top order in Sheffield Shield cricket this summer before opening in Hobart during the final Ashes Test, will play as an opener for Queensland in their next Sheffield Shield ahead of a busy winter for the Australian team.
Following the Tests against Pakistan, they are also scheduled to play Sri Lanka, Afghanistan and India, although there has been some talk that the series against India will be delayed into 2023.
Bailey explained the selection of Harris, even if he isn't in the first-choice XI.
"I certainly think David Warner and Uz (Khawaja) would most likely start as the openers in Pakistan," Bailey said.
"But we're also aware – not that age is a be-all and end-all barrier – that both Uz and Bull (Warner) are around 35.
"So we're just conscious that it's really important to keep developing that specialist opening role.
"We've got a lot of subcontinent cricket coming up over the next 12-18 months so it's important to keep focusing on a bit of a succession plan and developing Harry's (Harris's) skills.
"He's the spare opener there (in Pakistan).
"We continue to think Harry got better and better as the Ashes was going on, and a lot's been said about that innings in Melbourne (where he top-scored in the third Ashes Test) in difficult circumstances."
