The World Test Championship final between Australia and South Africa will get underway from June 11. Here's how Australia's players have been getting on before the game.
Australia squad for World Test Championship final
Pat Cummins (c), Alex Carey (wk), Josh Inglis (wk), Scott Boland, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Matthew Kuhnemann, Sam Konstas, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Beau Webster. Travelling reserve: Brendan Doggett.
Usman Khawaja
Last first-class match: Queensland vs South Australia, March 26, 2025
Opener Khawaja played both of Australia's Tests in Sri Lanka in January-February, before joining up with Queensland for two Sheffield Shield fixtures. He scored 127 & 33* against Tasmania, but failed to make an impression in the final with 2 & 21 as Queensland went down to South Australia. Khawaja has not played any other top-level cricket in April and May.
Sam Konstas
Last first-class match: Tasmania vs New South Wales, March 15, 2025
Teenager Konstas played the BBL when the Test squad was in Sri Lanka, but then turned out in six Sheffield Shield games for New South Wales. The returns were middling – 315 runs at an average of 31.5, but he did score two fifties and a century. Konstas's spot in the Australia XI is by no means a given at this point, and a final decision will likely be made closer to the final.
Marnus Labuschagne
Last first-class match: Glamorgan vs Middlesex, May 23, 2025
Labuschagne is one of the players here who has been relatively busy. After the Sri Lanka series, he played the Champions Trophy before featuring twice for Queensland – he scored one half-century and also took four wickets.
He apparently began his WTC final preparation early, signing up to play twice for Glamorgan in the Championship last month. He put up scores of 0, 4 and 23, not quite doing much to dispel the doubts over his scratchy Test form, and spot in the side.
Steve Smith
Last first-class match: Sri Lanka vs Australia, February 6, 2025
Smith scored hundreds in both Tests against Sri Lanka, before playing the ODI series against them, followed by the Champions Trophy. His 73 in the semi-final against India was a particular highlight, and he retired from the format after that. He did not play any domestic, or franchise, cricket this summer.
Cameron Green
Last first-class match: Northamptonshire vs Gloucestershire, May 23, 2025
Returning from a long-term injury, Green is set to play for Australia as a pure batter in the final. A mysterious benefactor paved the way for a county stint at Gloucestershire and in April, Green played his first competitive game since September 2024.
He scored 112 in his first innings back against Kent. Four single-digit scores followed, before he reeled off 128, 67*, 118* and 25 in his last two games in Division 2. Perhaps even more than the runs, Australia's team management will have been happy to see him get some much-needed match practice under his belt.
Travis Head
Last first-class match: Sri Lanka vs Australia, February 6, 2025
Like Smith and Labuschagne, Head also played the Champions Trophy, but immediately afterwards, headed to the IPL to play for Sunrisers Hyderabad. He had a relatively good campaign, with 374 runs at 31, and a strike rate of 162. The level of competition would likely have kept him in sharp touch.
Beau Webster
Last first-class match: Warwickshire vs Worcestershire, May 23, 2025
Since the Sri Lanka series, Webster has almost exclusively played red-ball cricket – three matches for Tasmania in February-March and four for Warwickshire in May, with two One-Day Cup games in Australia squeezed in as well.
His 348 runs in seven matches have come at 34.8, and he's also chipped in with 20 wickets at 25.4 apiece. In terms of form, he looks close to ticking all the boxes Australia might want from him – and in the absence of Green's bowling, Webster might just nick in front in the pecking order.
Josh Inglis
Last first-class match: Sri Lanka vs Australia, February 6, 2025
Since impressing with a Test debut century in the Sri Lanka series, Inglis has only played white-ball cricket – the Champions Trophy and the IPL. He was a vital cog in Punjab Kings' charge to the final, which they lost, putting up a similar record to Head, with 278 runs at 30.9, and a strike rate of 163.
He is unlikely to start against South Africa, but if he does, Australia will hope he can carry over his good form.
Alex Carey
Last first-class match: Queensland vs South Australia, March 26, 2025
Wicketkeeper Carey has been in superb touch of late, although hasn't played in over two months now. He scored 156 in the second Test against Sri Lanka, following it up with 41 in the first ODI, and 69 and 61 against England and India in the Champions Trophy.
After that was over, he went back to the Sheffield Shield and scored 104, 56 and 24 before his 105 helped South Australia record the largest-ever chase in a Sheffield Shield final – and win a first title in 29 years. Carey had been set to play the Pakistan Super League, but had to withdraw before it began.
Pat Cummins
Last first-class match: Australia vs India, January 3 2025
Cummins missed the Sri Lanka series and the Champions Trophy on paternity leave, before returning to action as captain of Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL. He picked up 16 wickets at 28 in a difficult season for the team, but Australia would not have been too worried about his form.
The challenge now will be for him to physically get back into the rhythm and rigour of multi-day cricket.
Mitchell Starc
Last first-class match: Sri Lanka vs Australia, February 6, 2025
Starc played the Sri Lanka Tests, but like Cummins, was not part of the Champions Trophy squad before playing the IPL. He took 14 wickets in 11 matches for Delhi Capitals before the league was suspended, and did not return. He told The Ageon Friday that "my focus changed to red-ball cricket for about a week prior to coming over here [England]".
Josh Hazlewood
Last first-class match: Australia vs India, December 14, 2025
Hazlewood's fitness remains Australia's primary concern ahead of the WTC final, having not played any red-ball cricket since he was injured against India at the Gabba in December.
He returned in time for the IPL, and was a key contributor to RCB's first-ever title with 22 wickets. There had been doubts over whether he would return to the franchise post-the league's suspension in May, but since he did make it back perhaps Australia are cautiously optimistic about him from the physical perspective.
Scott Boland
Last first-class match: Victoria vs South Australia, March 6, 2025
After being left out of the squad for the Sri Lanka Tests, Boland played four Sheffield Shield games for Victoria in February and March. He was (customarily) excellent, picking up 17 wickets at 19.3 each.
But Boland's exploits at home are well-documented. His last trip to England during the 2023 Ashes was not pleasant, and while this is a different opposition, Australia will need him to replicate his home form, especially in the event that Hazlewood ends up being unavailable.
Matt Kuhnemann
Last first-class match: Glamorgan vs Middlesex, May 23, 2025
Left-arm spinner Kuhnemann played two games for Tasmania in March, taking six wickets. He did not play any more red-ball or white-ball cricket through April and May, until turning out for Glamorgan in the Championship two weeks ago – taking seven wickets against Middlesex including Max Holden, Leus du Plooy and South Africa quick Dane Paterson.
Nathan Lyon
Last first-class match: Sri Lanka vs Australia, February 6, 2025
Off-spinner Nathan Lyon has had the entirety of March to May (and much of February) off, with no red-ball or white-ball cricket. He is almost certain to play the final, and all he will need to worry about is getting back into the swing of things.
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