Labuschagne will be joining Khawaja to open the batting for the state in the World Test Championship final. However, youngster Sam Konstas will only be opening for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Cricket Australia is expected to soon announce the 15-player squad for the big match against South Africa at Lord’s from June 11, with Labuschagne tipped to join Khawaja at the top.
Though he has never opened in Test before, Labuschagne’s key performances against India last summer, when he had scores of 72 and 70 at the MCG, kept him in the first-choice mix despite recent struggles at the crease. With David Warner retiring in January 2024, Labuschagne was certainly seen as the first choice to take that spot. Vice-captain Steve Smith had an interest in opening himself but has foregone that move and comfortably returned to his usual number four position.
Labuschagne, who just welcomed his second child, will head to the UK to play county cricket for Glamorgan ahead of the final. The team will assemble in Brisbane next week for a pre-tour camp at the National Cricket Centre. Cameron Green is back to fitness and could form a swift Test comeback himself after scoring a century for Gloucestershire after surgery.
Konstas gained headlines with his in-your-face batting against Indian ace Jasprit Bumrah, but after a spell of difficult times in both international and domestic setups, he will miss out on the WTC Final squad. Inglis scored a noteworthy debut hundred against Sri Lanka on the Galle tracks to claim his stance, but he still isn’t ahead of Green or Labuschagne in the eyes of the selection panel. The WTC final is scheduled to start on June 11.
