David Warner named in Australia's Ashes squad as Mitchell Marsh recalled

Under-pressure David Warner was spared the axe and included in Australia's squad for the first two Ashes Tests and the World Test Championship final, while all-rounder Mitchell Marsh earned a recall on Wednesday.

Pat Cummins (capt), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Marcus Harris, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Todd Murphy, Matthew Renshaw, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, David Warner

Veteran opener Warner is fighting to save his career after a lean run with the bat that had some questioning whether his time was up. Warner has only scored one century in his past 32 innings, while he averaged just 9.5 with the bat during the 2019 Ashes.

But the 36-year-old batsman will head to England as part of a 17-man squad which also includes Josh Inglis as cover for wicketkeeper Alex Carey, and Marcus Harris and Matthew Renshaw as back-up batters.

There was no room for batsman Peter Handscomb, who featured on the recent Test tour of India and is currently playing county cricket in England.

Chairman of selectors George Bailey all but confirmed Warner – on his fourth Ashes tour – would play the World Test Championship final against India at The Oval from June 7. But he would not guarantee Warner's place for the first Ashes Test at Edgbaston in mid-June.

"Not specifically to Dave, but I think we'll get through that Test championship and then start to have a look at what it looks like," he said when pressed on Warner's longer-term place in the team. "Different opposition, different surface. We'll work through that."

Should Warner be overlooked, Harris or Renshaw would step in to partner Usman Khawaja at the top of the order.

In the bowling department, spinners