The battle for Ashes berths will begin in earnest on Wednesday, when the Australian summer of cricket starts in low-key fashion at Brisbane's Allan Border Field.
The five-Test Ashes series gets under way on November 23 but both camps are well advanced in their planning.
England are set to unveil their touring party for the five-Test series on Wednesday, while Australia's selectors have the luxury of waiting until November.
Form -- or lack of it -- in the one-day series against India will shape the thoughts of national selectors but domestic performances will also be crucial.
The most meaningful auditions will come during the early rounds of the Sheffield Shield season which starts on October 26.
The one-day cup, commencing with a clash between South Australia and the Cricket Australia XI in Brisbane, serves as an ideal chance for those on the cusp of the Test squad to stake their claims.
Peter Nevill and Alex Carey, the frontrunners to take the gloves should under-pressure Test keeper Matthew Wade be axed, are among many cricketers with a lot to play for.
Nevill will captain NSW when regular skipper Moises Henriques flies out for the Twenty20 series in India, while Carey will be behind the stumps for South Australia.
Carey completed a Shield-record 59 dismissals and scored 594 first-class runs during the 2016-17 season.
It resulted in an Australia A call-up for the tour that was boycotted amid the pay dispute -- and plenty of speculation he could be an Ashes bolter.
"It's nice to be spoken about. You like to sit back and dream," Carey said.
"Every player in the competition wants to play well and play for Australia, I'm no different.
"But it's not on the radar, one-day cricket is my focus right now.
"We (SA) want to win titles."
NSW, bidding for a third consecutive title, start their campaign on Friday against Western Australia at the WACA.
The domestic one-day tournament runs until October 21, when Hobart hosts the final.
