Darren Lehmann has given the strongest indication yet Australia will play an unchanged XI in Perth for the third Test against England.

The success of the short-pitch onslaught Mitchell Johnson unleashed at the Gabba in the first Commonwealth Bank Ashes Test has had the Australians licking their lips in anticipation of a repeat at the WACA Ground.

James Faulkner, 12th man for the first two Tests, had been widely expected to come into the side for Perth at the expense of spinner Nathan Lyon, while the selectors also put quicks Nathan Coulter-Nile and Doug Bollinger on standby.

Responding to a question in the popular '#AskBoof' segment if Faulkner would come into the team, Australia coach Lehmann suggested it was more likely Lyon would retain his spot.

“We’ll have to look at the wicket first and foremost, see what it’s like. If we think it warrants him (Faulkner) playing and the four quicks so be it," said Lehman.

"But, look, it’s going to be hot weather here – it's 35 and getting up to 40 on Monday – so we’ll probably … I think we’ll play the spinner.

"Again, we’ve got to work out who has pulled up fit from the last Test match, so good question. We’ll see what happens.”

The WACA wicket is expected to be the usual fast and bouncy track. Australia played three quicks and a spinner – Lyon – in their last Test at the venue, a 309-run defeat to South Africa 12 months ago, but played four quicks later that summer in a win against India. Four quicks was also the weapon of choice when Australia beat England by 267 runs in December 2010, a match where Johnson was again the chief destroyer with a first-innings return of 6-38.

Australia's bowlers were required to send down 170 overs in Adelaide, 52 of which came from Lyon, Steven Smith and Shane Watson.

That has left the frontline pace trio of Johnson (41.2 overs), Ryan Harris (33.4) and Peter Siddle (33) fresh for the WACA and, with temperatures predicted to top 40C during the Test, a slow-bowling option to safeguard the fast bowlers from exhaustion may now be the Australia team's preference.