Australian cricket is rich in young talent, and that will be tested over the next two years as the likes of batting greats Steve Smith and Usman Khawaja head into retirement.

Here are six young guns aged 22 and under the national selectors are keeping an eye on, including an incumbent Test opener fighting to retain his spot ahead of next month’s Ashes opener in Perth.

While there are no guarantees, selectors will hope at least two, potentially three, of the six can become the bedrock of a new generation of stars.

Cooper Connolly (WA)

Age: 22

Tests: 1

Hailing from Perth’s northern suburbs and playing district cricket for Scarborough, Connolly made a whirlwind Test debut in Galle in February when, in only his fifth first-class game, he replaced Todd Murphy for the second Test against

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