Australia has revealed its official 15-player squad for the much-awaited WTC Final against South Africa at Lord’s. The squad includes the comeback of Sam Konstas and Cameron Green, with selection controversies on the cards over the opening partner of Usman Khawaja and Green’s place in the side.
Who Will Open with Usman Khawaja in the WTC Final?
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The largest question that stares selectors is who will be Usman Khawaja’s opening partner in the WTC Final. Now that Sam Konstas is back in the mix, team management has to figure out if he should come back into the starting XI or see Marnus Labuschagne get pushed to the top while Green moves into No. 3.
Selectors earlier omitted Konstas from the Sri Lanka series, opting for Travis Head as an emergency opener because of conditions. But since the final will be held in England, Konstas’ technical skills may come in handy.
Cameron Green Returns After Injury – Batting Role Only
Cameron Green, who has returned after a lengthy injury break and back surgery, will be coming in only as a batter for the WTC Final. While he made a century on his debut for Gloucestershire, his recent performances (3, 4, 2, 8) make his spot doubtful.
In case he is picked, he could replace Beau Webster from the XI, although that might leave Australia lightweight in terms of bowling resources as Green won’t be bowling until the latter part of the year.
IPL Restart Brings Schedule Issues Ahead of WTC Final
With the IPL 2025 restarting on May 17 and the final now scheduled for June 3, Australia’s preparation for the WTC Final is confronted with scheduling issues. Some members of the squad might choose to return to the IPL ahead of joining the Test team.
Players like Josh Inglis, Mitchell Starc, and Josh Hazlewood are with IPL teams in playoff positions, whereas Pat Cummins and Travis Head won’t be advancing past the group stages. Cricket Australia said it will accommodate individual choices about IPL participation and will adapt WTC preparation accordingly.
Hazlewood Fitness Not a Major Concern
Josh Hazlewood, back from a shoulder injury picked up prior to the IPL being suspended, is not a serious fitness issue as per team medical officials. Hazlewood had missed the 2023 WTC Final after suffering a side strain, but the selectors hope that he will be available this time.
Preparations and Future Fixtures
The Australian side is set to have a pre-tour training camp in Scotland in the final week of May before traveling to London for the WTC Final. The same team will also participate in the subsequent three-Test series against West Indies, which will begin 10 days after the final, with games to be played in Barbados, Grenada, and Jamaica.
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Complete Australia Squad for WTC Final and West Indies Tour
Pat Cummins (capt)
Scott Boland
Alex Carey
Cameron Green
Josh Hazlewood
Travis Head
Josh Inglis
Usman Khawaja
Sam Konstas
Matt Kuhnemann
Marnus Labuschagne
Nathan Lyon
Steven Smith
Mitchell Starc
Beau Webster
Travelling Reserve: Brendan Doggett
ALSO READ: IPL 2025 Schedule: Tournament To Resume On May 17, Final On June 3
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