The team’s recent travails in Sri Lanka and South Africa have left some glaring gaps with the first Test of the summer, in Perth on November 3, fast approaching.

Speaking on the cricket podcast The Unplayable, Taylor said the only players who were certainties at the moment were batsmen and leadership duo Steve Smith and David Warner, wicketkeeper Peter Nevill and bowlers Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood.

“I don't think there's anyone else absolutely penned in at the moment,” Taylor said. “The depth's not quite as good as we hoped it would be at this stage.”

Australia’s last time out in Tests was in late July and August in Sri Lanka, where the conditions particularly flummoxed the top order. Joe Burns and Usman Khawaja were dropped, while Adam Voges had a subdued series. Shaun Marsh came in and played impressively, but then suffered a finger injury.

Getting back to more familiar pitches should help the Australian batsmen, and many will be well aware that they can turn their form around – as long as they make the team. As Taylor notes, the upcoming rounds of the domestic Matador Cup ODI tournament and early Sheffield Shield would be key proving grounds.

The veteran Voges (pictured above), whose place would seem relatively safe (Cricket Australia told him to cut short his county season to get some rest), shared his sense of urgency in an interview with Inside Sport: “I am not 25, so if I lose my spot in the team, that’s it … That doesn’t put me under more pressure, it actually motivates me to do well.”