Australia Playing XI vs South Africa For WTC Final: Pat Cummins’ Side Takes Massive Opener Gamble

Australia have revealed their playing XI on the eve of the World Test Championship (WTC) final against South Africa

South Africa captain Temba Bavuma with Australia skipper Pat Cummins

Australia have revealed their playing XI on the eve of the World Test Championship (WTC) final against South Africa, scheduled to be played from Wednesday at Lord’s. Skipper Pat Cummins has picked Marnus Labuschagne to open the innings alongside Usman Khawaja, hoping the 30-year-old can be a long-term solution to the spot that has seen quite a few batters to replace David Warner. Labuschagne, who has never opened in Test cricket, has just one Test century to his name since the end of 2022 and failed to make an impression in two matches for County side Glamorgan earlier this month.

After much debate, seamer Josh Hazlewood won the race against Scott Boland to partner left-armer Mitchell Starc and Cummins in the pace attack.

Hazlewood hasn’t played a red-ball contest since he featured in the third Test against India in December, with Boland edging his way into Australia’s line-up for the remainder of that series and impressing with a 10-wicket match haul in the series finale in Sydney. Meanwhile, Hazlewood won the IPL with Royal Challengers Bengaluru last week and only arrived in London on the night of June 4.

All-rounder Beau Webster also found a place in the playing XI alongside Cameron Green, who will be playing his first Test since October 2024. Green had suffered a stress fracture in his back and chose to undergo surgery in October. Now playing as a specialist batter, Green is entering the upcoming WTC final on the back of three centuries during his County stint with Gloucestershire.

Australia Playing XI: Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Cameron Green, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Beau Webster, Alex Carey (wk), Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood.

Source: https://sports.ndtv.com/cricket/australia-playing-xi-vs-south-africa-for-wtc-final-pat-cummins-side-takes-massive-marnus-labuschagne-opener-gamble-8634574