All the round four Sheffield Shield squads as they drop

All the big names are back for what looms as the most epic round of Sheffield Shield cricket in recent years.

Every member of Australia's 15-man Test squad for the Ashes opener expect Usman Khawaja will play for their respective states in round four in what will be their final red-ball hit out before the first Test against England on November 21.

New South Wales quicks Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood are in line to make their first Shield appearances of the summer, as is South Australian batter Travis Head and WA wicketkeeper Josh Inglis.

Scott Boland will return for Victoria while Sean Abbott has been released from Australia's T20 squad to join Starc, Hazlewood, Steve Smith and Nathan Lyon in a star-studded Blues outfit to host the Vics at the SCG from Monday.

New Test squad member Jake Weatherald will face off against fellow Ashes inclusion Brendan Doggett when Tasmania host SA also from Monday, while Queensland cross the country to face WA in Perth, with that match beginning a day later.

NSW v Victoria, SCG, November 10-13

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NSW squad: Steve Smith (c), Sean Abbott, Ollie Davies, Jack Edwards, Ryan Hadley, Josh Hazlewood, Sam Konstas, Nathan Lyon, Kurtis Patterson, Josh Philippe, Will Salzmann, Mitchell Starc.

Ins: Sean Abbott, Josh Hazlewood, Josh Philippe, Mitchell Starc. Outs: Liam Hatcher, Ryan Hicks, Ross Pawson, Charlie Stobo

Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood are set to play for NSW for the first time this summer, joining Test teammates Steve Smith and Nathan Lyon in an all-star Blues XI with as many as eight internationally-capped players.

Hazlewood and fellow paceman Sean Abbott were released from Australia's T20 squad to play in round four for NSW to prioritise their red-ball preparation ahead of the Ashes opener. Abbott returns for Blues after becoming the first player subbed out of a Shield match with injury when he split his webbing while fielding off his own bowling against Victoria in round two.

Smith will lead the Blues in round four in place of regular captain Jack Edwards. It will be the first time Smith has captained his state since 2017 as he prepares to lead Australia in the first Test with Pat Cummins injured.

Sam Konstas will be eager to make a statement after being dropped from the Test squad, while Kurtis Patterson will be aiming to keep his name in the conversation for higher honours after posting his first century of the Shield season and second for NSW this summer in the last round. Josh Philippe will return to take the gloves following Australia's fifth T20 against India, with debutant keeper Ryan Hicks, Liam Hatcher, Ross Pawson and Charlie Stobo making way from the squad that took on Queensland at the Gabba.

Victoria squad: Will Sutherland (c), Scott Boland, Harry Dixon, Sam Elliott, Peter Handscomb, Sam Harper, Marcus Harris, Campbell Kellaway, Blake MacDonald, Todd Murphy, Fergus O'Neill, Oliver Peake

Ins: Scott Boland, Sam Elliott. Outs: Mitch Perry (managed), David Moody

Scott Boland returns for Victoria after being rested from their round three win over Tasmania. Boland, likely to take the place of injured Test captain Pat Cummins in the Ashes opener, took the last five NSW wickets to lift Victoria to a narrow 38-run win in his most recent Shield match last month.

Sam Elliott also comes into Victoria's 12-man squad following his recent strong form in both the Second XI and One-Day Cup, with speedster David Moody making way and Mitch Perry rested after taking seven wickets in the last round.

Victoria are the only state to win all three of the Shield games this season and sit almost eight points clear at the top of the standings. Batters Campbell Kellaway and Marcus Harris both found form with centuries in the last round, while seamers Perry and Fergus O'Neill shared 13 Tasmanian wickets between them for the match.

"There's a lot of belief in the group," Vics coach Chris Rogers said. "To start the season with three outright wins is a credit to how connected and driven the players are. NSW always brings out the best in us; it's one of those classic fixtures that every player wants to be part of."

Tasmania v South Australia, Bellerive Oval, November 10-13

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Tasmania squad: To be announced

Jake Weatherald will play his first Shield match as an Australian squad member and will be out to keep pressing his case to be Usman Khawaja's opening partner in Perth. The left-hander hit 94 in his last innings at Bellerive Oval in round two.

Allrounder Beau Webster is another looking for a statement score after missing out in both innings against Victoria in round three in his first match back from an ankle injury. Veteran paceman Jackson Bird was rested last round and is likely to be back to face South Australia.

South Australia squad: To be announced

Test stars Travis Head and Alex Carey are set to play for South Australia in round four as they tune up for the Ashes opener on November 21. Head last played for the state in October last year ahead of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series against India, while Carey played in round two against Queensland. The gloveman was also part of SA's Sheffield Shield-winning side last March.

Their inclusion is set to create a squeeze in the reigning champion's batting line-up that could see Nathan McSweeney, who hit a century in the previous round, asked to open again for the first time since being dropped from the Test team. Back-up Australian quick Brendan Doggett made a strong start to his Shield season in his comeback from a hamstring injury against WA in round four, taking six wickets in the first innings.

Western Australia v Queensland, WACA Ground, November 11-14

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Western Australia squad: To be announced

All eyes will be on Cameron Green as he returns to bowling in round four. Chief national selector George Bailey suggested Green could bowl as many as 20 overs in WA's clash with Queensland at the WACA Ground, which will go a long way to proving his fitness to play as an allrounder in the first Test against England on November 21.

Josh Inglis, also named in the Test squad for the Ashes opener, will travel from Brisbane after the final T20I against India to join Green in WA's Shield side for some red-ball match practice. Inglis last played for WA last December and his return means wicketkeeper Joel Curtis could be squeezed out of the XI despite his strong start to the season.

Queensland squad: To be announced

Opener Usman Khawaja will be the only member of Australia's first Test squad not to play in round four as he manages a minor adductor strain. Australia insist Khawaja, who peeled off 87 last round against NSW, is in no doubt for the Ashes opener against England.

Paceman Xavier Bartlett is poised to play his first Shield game of the season following Australia's T20 series against India, while veteran seamer Michael Neser is in line to play against WA after being rested in round three. Allrounder Jack Wildermuth also missed last round with a hamstring complaint but returned to action in Monday's one-day clash with NSW.

Captain Marnus Labuschagne will be aiming to add a sixth century for Queensland this summer before joining the Test squad ahead of the Ashes where he is a hot favourite to earn a recall to the XI.

Sheffield Shield 2025-26 standings

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