Australia have named a 15-man squad who will bid to retain their ICC World Test Championship final at Lord’s.
From seasoned campaigners to exciting new faces, here is who are in contention to make the final XI.
Pat Cummins
Now 32, Australia skipper Pat Cummins has established himself as one of the great fast bowlers in his country’s storied history.
It has been 14 years since he made his Test debut as an 18-year-old and his 294 Test wickets put him eighth all time among Australians, with Glenn McGrath the only player with a better bowling average than Cummins’ 22.43 of the top 10.
Scott Boland
A late bloomer, Scott Boland has made up for lost time since making his Test debut at the age of 32, taking six for seven on debut against England at the MCG.
Now 13 Tests into his Australia career, his bowling average of 17.66 is third in the all-time list for the Baggy Green.
Alex Carey
Another one who had to bide his time, Alex Carey was a talented Australian rules footballer before turning his focus to cricket.
Since breaking into the white-ball team in 2018, the wicket-keeper batter has helped Australia to ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup glory, as well as cementing his position in the Test side.
Cameron Green
First capped aged just 21, Cameron Green is back for the World Test Championship Final after a back surgery kept him sidelined for six months.
An all-rounder, he is currently just available as a batter but scored an unbeaten 174 the last time he played Test cricket to steer Australia to victory in New Zealand in 2024.
Josh Hazlewood
Along with Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood has been a mainstay of the Australian fast-bowling attack for a decade.
A double ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup winner, his 279 Test wickets put him inside Australia’s all-time top 10, 11 years on from his first appearance with the Baggy Green.
Travis Head
Australia’s Mr Everything, Travis Head has been a key contributor for his country in every format of the game.
A handy offspinner as well as a top order batter, Head was the hero as Australia won the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup in 2023 with a century in the final, while he also made a sparkling 163 in the World Test Championship Final the same year as India were beaten at The Oval.
Josh Inglis
Born in Leeds, Josh Inglis will return to the country of his birth for the World Test Championship final.
The wicketkeeper enjoyed a fine start to his Test career against Sri Lanka earlier this year, scoring a century in the 2-0 series victory.
Usman Khawaja
The oldest player in the Australia squad, 38-year-old Usman Khawaja is now firmly established as an opener, having started his career batting at No.3.
The first player of Pakistani origin to represent Australia, he returns to Lord’s two years on from a crucial half-century in an Ashes victory over England.
Sam Konstas
At 19, Sam Konstas is half the age of his opening partner Usman Khawaja but showed no signs of youthful nerves when making his Test debut in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy last December.
An attacking batter by nature, his half-century in that MCG encounter was the third fastest ever by an Australian debutant.
Matt Kuhnemann
Left-arm spinner Matt Kuhnemann has enjoyed plenty of success with the ball in his relatively short Test career, taking 25 wickets at an average of just over 22.
He has played all five of his Tests in sub-continental conditions as he stakes a claim to be Nathan Lyon’s long-term successor.
Marnus Labuschagne
Born in South Africa, Marnus Labuschagne moved to Australia at the age of 10 and has been a firm fixture in the No.3 spot for more than half a decade.
He is familiar with conditions in the UK, having played club cricket in England when he first broke through and more recently enjoying several stints with Glamorgan, including a two-match spell in the build-up to this year’s WTC Final.
Nathan Lyon
One of just nine players in history to have taken 500 Test wickets, Nathan Lyon is closing in on Glenn McGrath as Australia’s second most prolific Test bowler.
Now 37, Lyon has not looked back since removing Kumar Sangakkara with his very first ball in Test cricket back in 2011.
Steve Smith
From leg-spinning all-rounder to one of the greatest batters ever to represent Australia, Steve Smith has had quite a journey over the past decade and a half.
Only Ricky Ponting has more Test centuries for Australia, while Smith’s batting average of 56.74 is second among players with 10,000 Test runs.
Mitchell Starc
Completing the trio of fast-bowling greats in the current Australia squad, Mitchell Starc is one of the most accomplished bowlers across all formats.
He holds the record for the fastest ball bowled in Test cricket, a 160.4kp/h rocket a decade ago, while he is fast approaching the 400-wicket club in Tests, good enough for third in the all-time Australian list.
Beau Webster
A handy all-rounder, Beau Webster has made a fast start to his international career, averaging 50 with the bat and 24 with the ball after three Tests.
He enjoyed a stellar debut against India in Sydney in January, scoring 57 and 39 not out in a six-wicket win.
marbles
All four innings of a test on the same day – The 2000 Lord\’s Test between England and West Indies saw all the four innings being played on the same day. This feat was repeated 11 years later in the famous Cape Town Test where South Africa bowled out Australia for 47.
Cabbie
The first cricket World Cup was held in 1975, participated in by the men’s teams. The title was won by the West Indies, with Australia placing second.