Australia’s first series victory over India in a decade guaranteed that Pat Cummins’ team will travel to Lord’s in June to contest the world Test championship final against South Africa.

But as well as the Proteas have done to secure their own qualification for the decider, it is the Ashes series next summer that was on many spectators’ lips amid Australian celebrations of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy win.

A full house at the MCG for day one.Credit: Getty Images

It has actually been a strength of Cummins and company that they do not get overly fixated on one assignment before others. England’s captain Ben Stokes has already conceded that his team have perhaps spent too much time worrying about touring Australia and not focusing on what is in front of them.

Nevertheless, the first ball in Perth in November will be the next time Australia’s all-conquering Test team will be seen on home soil, following tours of Sri Lanka and the West Indies either side of the WTC.

Here’s a look at some of the talking points ahead of the next fight for the urn.

By unearthing Sam Konstas, Beau Webster and (to a lesser extent) Nathan McSweeney, Australia are well into the process of refreshing the Test team following the retirement of David Warner.

Somewhat ironically, Konstas’ arrival as a brash 19-year-old aggressor at the top of the order may well buy time for Usman Khawaja, almost twice his age, because of how they can complement each other in terms of tempo. That mix of fire and ice served Khawaja well alongside David Warner, although he will want to make runs in Sri Lanka to reassure all concerned that he can still register big scores.

Australia Test opener Sam Konstas, 19.Credit: Steven Siewert

© The Sydney Morning Herald