WTC Final 2025: Australia set to open with Marnus Labuschagne

Going to Lord's, Australia has the chance to become the first-ever team to win multiple ICC World Test Championship Final titles. Pat Cummins and his men lifted their maiden WTC Final title in 2023 against India at The Oval. The Kangaroos, meanwhile, completed an impressive run in another WTC cycle, winning 13 of their 19 matches in the 2023-25 season and booking a spot in the WTC Final 2025. Now, Australia is up against South Africa, who have aced a place in the summit clash for the first time since the inception of the ICC clash. In a bid to defend the Test Mace, Australia seems to have played a gamble before they take on the Proteas at the iconic Lord's Cricket Ground.

Australia's opening dilemma on its road to the WTC Final 2025

Australia has played 11 matches since January 2024, winning 8 of them and forcing a draw in one. The plain result won't indicate any issues that the Kangaroos dealt with during this phase. However, a closer look at Australia's run to the WTC Final 2025 shows the side's struggle to find a reliable opener. The Kangaroos have played four players in the opening spot to partner with Usman Khawaja since the retirement of the seasoned David Warner. While Warner showed interest in returning from his retirement to aid Australia, the team was not keen on going down that road, bent on finding the next prospect instead.

Four swaps across the series against West Indies, New Zealand, India, and Sri Lanka respectively, the opening spot has been presented to a fifth prospect for the all-important WTC Final. Immediately after the exit of David Warner, Australia promoted Steve Smith to the opening position. However, the modern-day legend was unable to replicate his numbers from the middle order in the new spot. In 4 matches, Smith managed to score 171 runs at an average of 28.50, before Australia moved him back to the middle order.

For the five-match Border Gavaskar Trophy against India at home, the Kangaroos called up new picks in their combination. While Australia claimed the BGT after a decade with a 3-1 victory against the visitors, their batting order saw significant changes within a matter of those five Tests. Nathan McSweeney, a middle-order batter in First-Class cricket for the majority of his career, opened for Australia in the first three Tests. However, Jasprit Bumrah, the star for India down under, emerged as the kryptonite for Australia's new opener.

Across the three matches, McSweeney scored just 72 runs, averaging 14.40, and was cleaned up by Bumrah thrice in the six innings he played. For the conclusive phase of the BGT, Australia replaced McSweeney with the young Sam Konstas. The youngster made a mark right on his debut, scoring 60 in his first innings at the Boxing Day Test. However, the following innings by Konstas remained meek. With the win against India, Australia locked their spot in the WTC Final 2025. Before the final Test, the Kangaroos tested Travis Head in the opening slot as they played Sri Lanka in a two-match series. Head managed 98 runs across the 3 innings he played against Lanka, averaging 32.66.

Marnus Labuschagne promoted to the opening slot for WTC Final against South Africa

Now, as Australia gear up to launch their title defense against South Africa at Lord's, the team has kept Head and Smith where they make their best impact, the middle. Meanwhile, Marnus Labuschagne has been promoted up a spot in the Australia playing XI for the summit clash. The order was juggled as Cameron Green returned to the equation following a successful recovery from his injury. The all-rounder has been slotted at Number 3, while Labuschagne claims the opening spot alongside Usman Khawaja.

The WTC Final would mark Labuschagne's maiden stint as an opener for Australia. Starting out as a middle-order pick, Labuschagne swiftly moved up as a No. 3 batter for the Kangaroos. Boasting a superior record at home, the batter has scored 4,396 runs across 48 matches at an average of 46.76. Now, a new test awaits Labuschagne, as the Australian captain, Pat Cummins, has deemed it fit for the batsman to open in the WTC Final against South Africa at Lord's.

"Cam Green, the last few weeks, he's had coming back in great form, we thought he deserves a spot somewhere in the batting line-up," Cummins said on the eve of the WTC Final. "We thought three probably suits him best. And then with Marnus moving, we thought it's one spot up, it's not too different to batting at three. He's done well here in England in the past," he added.