It is a curious quirk of the calendar that Australia will go more than half a year without a Test, then cram up to 21 matches into the following eleven months. Usman Khawaja has already signalled the beginning of an inevitable changing-of-the-guard, and even if there is no mass exodus, fresh legs will be needed. With that in mind, here are five men – each capped no more than five times, if at all – who could find themselves summoned before the end of 2026.
Xavier Bartlett
So far, international cricket has only handed Bartlett a white ball, yet his red-ball record is difficult to ignore: 106 Sheffield Shield wickets at 25.88. He swings the new ball at decent pace, and coaches talk just as much about the lively bouncer he appears to hold back until it matters. “He’s a handful even on flat decks,” a Queensland team-mate said recently. Add in the lower-order hitting – three Shield fifties on the bounce earlier this season – and selectors may view him as an all-round package once the veteran pace trio inevitably need a breather.
Cooper Connolly
The left-hander owns a single Test cap, collected almost by surprise when Australia wanted an extra spinner who could bat. The numbers remain modest: no first-class hundred and a bowling average that still begins with a four. Still, the panel likes what it sees. “He plays pace as well as any 22-year-old we have,” one staffer commented during the BBL. If Australia tour India again next February, and they prefer a batting all-rounder rather than a second wrist-spinner, Connolly could leapfrog more established names.
Campbell Kellaway
Victoria have not tried to hide their enthusiasm for Kellaway, a tall left-hander who seems to have time to spare against quick bowling. State coach Chris Rogers went as far as to call him “a natural successor to Khawaja”. That label grew louder after an assured forty-odd against Mitchell Starc on a spiteful SCG surface, followed by runs for both the Prime Minister’s XI and Australia A against England Lions. The selectors like evidence, and Kellaway is providing it in bulk.
Sam Konstas
Twelve months ago Konstas was fresh from a whirlwind maiden series against India. It felt like the start of a long Test career; instead, he stumbled. A lean tour of the West Indies cost him an Ashes spot, and early-season Shield scores were scarce. A timely century just before the Big Bash break has revived the conversation, though. A strong finish – the phrase every fringe batter knows by heart – could see him reclaim a berth if injuries stack up.
Nathan McSweeney
Few assignments are harder than opening against Jasprit Bumrah when you are not, by trade, an opener. McSweeney managed it for three Tests before the axe fell, yet he did little to harm his standing as a future leader. One Shield century from five starts this summer is handy without being decisive, but he has another chance: a stint at Northamptonshire. If he piles them on in county cricket he will remain in the selectors’ notebooks, especially with Australia scheduled to visit England again in 2027.
None of these names screams “immediate replacement”, and Australia’s incumbents rarely surrender spots without a fight. Even so, a block of 21 Tests in under a year is brutal; rotation will not be a luxury, it will be survival strategy. Bartlett’s new-ball nibble, Connolly’s dual skill-set, Kellaway’s calm presence, Konstas’ aggression and McSweeney’s resilience all address specific future needs. How many actually get the call depends on form, fitness and, as ever, a little luck.
