Australia have the chance to become the first team to defend the World Test Championship when they face off against South Africa at Lord’s starting on June 11. Pat Cummins and Co won the title in 2023 beating India and now face a spirited Proteas in the WTC Final 2025. A lot has changed for the Men in Yellow since their win two years, with a few selection conundrums heading into the game. A major point of concern is their opener alongside Usman Khawaja.
WTC Final 2025: Who opens with Usman Khawaja?
Usman Khawaja is a certainty at the top of the order for Australia. The left-hander is among the 3 players to score more than 1000 runs in the current WTC cycle, and the only constant opening the batting. Khawaja has four different partners in the last 12 Tests. Sam Konstas and Nathan McSweeney, who played the Border Gavaskar Trophy, were both snubbed for the WTC Final squad.
Steve Smith opened with Khawaja against the West Indies with middling returns. He has since returned to his favoured No.4 spot and is likely to bat there at Lord’s. Travis Head opened in Australia’s Test series win in Sri Lanka scoring 57, 21 and 20 in his three innings. Head has opened 8 Test matches, but has a strong middle-order record in England. The left-hander scored a match-winning century in Australia’s WTC Final in 2023.
Australia squad for WTC Final 2025: Pat Cummins (c), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Sam Konstas, Matt Kunhemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Beau Webster. Travelling reserve: Brendan Doggett
Marnus Labuschagne or Josh Inglis?
Currently, Australia’s options are heading towards Josh Inglis and Marnus Labuschagne. Both have never been opened at the Test level, but could do a makeshift job. Inglis has had an impressive IPL season and scored a century on debut in Sri Lanka. Inglis however featured in the middle order then.
“I think he could do it. I think Marnus could open the batting. A number of guys could open the batting, but certainly that’s not to say that they will. I think (Inglis) could do it (too). There is a prevailing thought it’s a specialised role, but I think in certain conditions there’s opportunities at different times where other guys could do it,” Chief Selector George Bailey said at a press conference announcing Australia’s WTC squad.
Labuschagne has opened in first-class cricket 15 times, but has only done so once since 2016. He scored a century for Glamorgan on that occasion in May 2024. A long-time No.3, Labuschagne is no stranger to facing the new ball and has ample County Experience to boot. Given his current run of form, a change of batting position could trigger the best in Australia’s run machine. Marnus averages a mere 28 in the last WTC cycle, but he could be a quick fix to Australia’s opening woes.
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