England will know which players they will be facing in the forthcoming Ashes series when Australia name their squad on Tuesday.

With the likes of Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath, Justin Langer, Matthew Hayden and Adam Gilchrist all having retired since the teams last met, it is sure to be a different, and much less experienced, side than the one that inflicted 2006's humbling 5-0 whitewash. But there will, of course, be some familiar faces.

Hughes is expected to take the mantle

Captain Ricky Ponting is sure to be at the tiller, while opener Simon Katich, vice-captain Michael Clarke and returning paceman Brett Lee were all on duty in 2005.

Since then the likes of Mike Hussey, Brad Haddin, Mitchell Johnson and Stuart Clark have become established members of the team and all can expect to get the nod on Tuesday.

County cricket fans will be able to attest to the mercurial talents of Katich's likely opening partner Phillip Hughes, a potentially devastating hitter who scored back-to-back centuries against South Africa in his second Test at Durban.

Hughes is expected to take the mantle of the equally destructive Hayden but, at only 20, and with just three caps to his name, the New South Wales player is still a callow pick for such a series.

His transition has been helped by an early-season stint at Middlesex - a cameo that showed he had little trouble adapting to English conditions as he gorged on runs.

There are, though, some selection issues that are not as clear.

Symonds is perhaps most feared by England 

A handful of all-rounders have been used in the last 18 months and Andrew Symonds, Marcus North, Shane Watson and Andrew McDonald are likely to be fighting for a maximum of two places.

Symonds is perhaps the player most feared by England - he has enjoyed great success in the county game and has the requisite big-game mentality that can change high-pressure games.

But the Birmingham-born player also represents the most controversial choice.

He has suffered from frequent disciplinary problems in recent years and many thought his Australia career was at an end until he was handed an olive branch by Cricket Australia earlier this year.

Having welcomed him back into the fold, it would now be a surprise were he not selected for one last tour of the land of his birth.

McDonald has yet to nail down his place and may struggle, while North's ability to offer a second spin option should see him given the green light ahead of Watson.

The identity of the first-choice slow bowler is also something of a vexed question, as the Baggy Greens continue their search for an adequate replacement for the inspirational Warne.

Veteran leg-spinner Bryce McGain almost certainly bowled himself out of contention on a chastening, wicketless debut against the Proteas, while Jason Krejza could prove too inconsistent.

That would leave Nathan Hauritz, centrally contracted last week, as the man in pole position.

Possible Australia squad: R Ponting (captain), P Hughes, S Katich, M Hussey, M Clarke, B Hodge, A Symonds, M North, B Haddin, G Manou, M Johnson, B Lee, P Siddle, S Clark, B Hilfenhaus, N Hauritz.