So much has changed in the 12 months since the start of last summer.
A new captain, new coach, new selectors and a host of new players will be on deck for the home series against New Zealand and India and the fallout from the disastrous home Ashes series defeat plays out.
In his short time as Australia's Test captain Michael Clarke has already handed out six new caps - to Usman Khawaja and Michael Beer (final Ashes Test), Nathan Lyon, Shaun Marsh, Trent Copeland and Pat Cummins.
And there will be at least three more this week after new selection chief John Inverarity, Clarke and the rest of the panel named four uncapped players in the 12-man squad for the first Test against New Zealand at the Gabba starting on Thursday.
Injuries turned accelerated evolution into a revolution in the team make-up, with Shaun Marsh, Shane Watson, Ryan Harris, Pat Cummins and Mitchell Johnson all unavailable.
Opener David Warner and pace trio Ben Cutting, Mitchell Starc and James Pattinson are the rookies looking to debut against the Black Caps.
Clarke says there was no question of seeing the Kiwis as a relatively comfortable opportunity to blood players.
"To me it's another Test match and you do whatever it takes to win," Clarke said.
"You pick whatever players you need to win the Test.
"I've never been a fan of prioritising certain Test matches or certain series.
"We need to try and continue building that winning culture in our group.
"To me it's no different if we're playing India in a Boxing Day Test or New Zealand in the first Test in Brisbane, I want to pick the best XI that's available."
As raw as the bowling attack appears, Clarke should have the firepower to see off the Kiwis.
New Zealand have only ever won two of 26 Tests played in Australia, both by a team inspired by fast bowling legend Richard Hadlee in 1985.
The 2011 model has along way to go to reach that standard.
Captain Ross Taylor has only led his nation in one Test, a 34-run win over Zimbabwe earlier this month, while there's no spearhead like Hadlee to trouble Australia's batsmen.
Instead the line will be led by 36-year-old Chris Martin, who has rarely troubled on previous trips across the Tasman, with youngsters such as Doug Bracewell and Trent Boult untested qualities at this level.
Australia have their own troubles, especially after being rolled for just 47 in their second innings of the first Test against South Africa in Cape Town.
But they bounced back to win the second Test and level the series, a result Clarke knows his team can take a lot from.
"Really we had a horrible hour in the first Test which cost us that match in my opinion," he said.
"To then be able to put up a fight and win the second Test, I think we should be very proud of ourselves. I think we can take a lot of confidence from that series into the Australian summer."