Pat Cummins and Cameron Green return for World Test Championship final to leave Australia selection dilemma
Green will be unable to bowl at Lord’s against South Africa but could return to the XI as a batter only
Australia look set to face a major selection dilemma for the World Test Championship final at Lord’s with captain Pat Cummins, Josh Hazelwood and Cameron Green all returning to their squad.
Cummins’s side will bid to defend their Test crown against South Africa from 11 June and will welcome back their skipper after he missed the tour of Sri Lanka earlier this year following an ankle issue and the birth of his second child.
Fellow fast bowler Josh Hazlewood also bolsters the seam options in the squad with the pair likely to combine with Mitchell Starc against the Proteas, but it is the availability of Green after a long lay-off from a back problem that poses a more interesting problem.
The 25-year-old has not played for Australia since September after undergoing surgery and is still unable to bowl, though has returned to action with a County Championship hundred for Gloucestershire.
His unavailability to bowl might mean that Beau Webster is retained in the XI after making his debut in the home series against India, leaving the possibility that Green plays as a specialist batter.
But there is already a looming logjam in Australia’s top order: Travis Head opened in Sri Lanka as a horses-for-courses selection but should slide back down to No 5, while youngster Sam Konstas is back in contention after an eye-catching international bow in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Josh Inglis made his maiden Test ton in Sri Lanka and offers keeping cover for Alex Carey, while regular No 3 Marnus Labuschagne could yet partner Usman Khawaja at the top of the order or find himself out of the side.
“We are fortunate and looking forward to having Pat, Josh and Cam back in the squad," chief selector George Bailey said.
"The team finished the WTC cycle with an impressive series victory in Sri Lanka following an equally strong summer in defeating India for the first time in a decade.
"Those series capped a consistent performance across the two-year cycle and now presents us with the incredibly exciting opportunity to defend the WTC.
"It means a lot to the group to reach the final and they're very much looking forward to the challenge South Africa will present at Lord's."
The same 15-man Australia squad, which also includes seamer Scott Boland and left-arm spinner Matt Kuhnemann, will head to the Caribbean after the game, where Australia will play West Indies in three Tests from 25 June.
Australia defeated India at The Oval in the last Test Championship final in 2023. They will be the favourites to beat a resurgent South Africa, who will have Kagiso Rabada available after the fast bowler completed a one-month suspension after a positive drugs test.
Rabada is part of a six-strong group of seam options in South Africa’s squad, though there is no place for any of Gerald Coetzee, Kwena Maphaka, Anrich Nortje or Nandre Burger.
The Proteas also have decisions to make in the top order, though Ryan Rickleton will open alongside Aiden Markram. That could leave Tony de Zorzi to slide in at three, potentially dislodging either Tristan Stubbs or David Bedingham from the XI.
Australia squad for World Test Championship final: Pat Cummins (captain), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Sam Konstas, Matt Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Beau Webster.
Travelling reserve: Brendan Doggett
South Africa squad; Temba Bavuma (captain), David Bedingham, Corbin Bosch, Tony de Zorzi, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram Wiaan Mulder, Senuran Muthusamy, Lungi Ngidi, Dane Paterson, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs, and Kyle Verreynne
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