Captain Pat Cummins has hinted at a possible overhaul in Australia’s batting order following their 5-wicket loss to South Africa in the World Test Championship (WTC) Final at Lord’s on June 14. The defeat marked Australia’s first loss in an ICC final in 15 years and exposed glaring cracks in their top-order stability — a concern that the captain acknowledged needs addressing as the team heads into a new WTC cycle.
Australia entered the final as firm favourites, boasting a glittering ICC record: 10 major men’s trophies including six ODI World Cups, two Champions Trophies, and one title each in T20 World Cup and WTC. But the Proteas, led by Temba Bavuma, pulled off one of the most memorable wins in their history, ending a 27-year wait for an ICC trophy.
SA vs AUS, WTC Final: Highlights
Speaking after the defeat, Cummins admitted the side would “have a bit of a think” about the makeup of the Test XI ahead of their next series. “It does feel like a little bit of a fresh start,” he said, adding that with a new WTC cycle underway, the team might use the opportunity to reassess and reset.
“Losing the toss on day one and being sent into bat is never going to be easy for the top three. But yeah, I think there’s probably quite a few people in the line-up that kind of wish they could have done a little bit more and the top three was an obvious one in this game,” Cummins said in the post-match press conference.
“It does feel like a little bit of a fresh start,” Cummins said. “Do we feel like now’s the right time to change or do you hold with the team that got us to the final? I think we’ve got a couple of weeks before the first test of the Windies so I think we’ll sit down and have a bit of a think after we digest this game,” Cummins said.
One of the major talking points from the final was the underperformance of the top order. Usman Khawaja, who had already been under scrutiny for a dip in form, failed again with scores of 0 and 6 in the two innings. Marnus Labuschagne, promoted to open the innings alongside Khawaja, did little to justify the call, continuing a run of middling form stretching back several series.
Cameron Green, tried at number three, also failed to make a mark, which only compounded Australia’s batting woes. Cummins defended his senior players but acknowledged the importance of re-evaluating combinations. He hinted that fringe players like Sam Konstas, Josh Inglis, and even a possible Test return for Scott Boland could be part of the conversation heading into the next series against the West Indies.
“But for me I think a new WTC cycle in some ways does feel like a bit of a reset. Coming to this match you’ve got guys like Sam Konstas and Scotty Boland, Josh Inglis all those guys who are right on the fringes so I think again after this Test match everyone gets thrown back into the conversation and it’s a little bit of a reset for that first Test,” he added.
While Australia’s batters struggled to assert dominance, their bowlers kept them in the contest for as long as possible. Cummins himself picked up a five-wicket haul in South Africa’s second innings, while Mitchell Starc took five wickets across the match. However, without meaningful contributions from the top order, the bowling efforts were in vain against a relentless South African side led by the resolute Aiden Markram and a gritty Bavuma.
As the dust settles on their Lord’s heartbreak, Cummins and the Australian selectors will now be forced to consider bold decisions. With the WTC cycle resetting, the captain’s comments suggest that Australia’s golden era may be on the cusp of evolution — a blend of established names and rising talent to take on the next phase.