Pat Cummins drops telling hint about Marnus Labuschagne and Sam Konstas as major WTC call looms
Pat Cummins has hinted that Marnus Labuschagne is most likely to get the nod to open the batting for Australia in the World Test Cricket Championship (WTC) final, with young gun Sam Konstas set to be snubbed.
The one-off Test against South Africa gets underway on Wednesday (AEDT) and the burning question on every cricket fan's lips is who opens the batting for Australia with Usman Khawaja?
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It is understood that it is a two-horse race between Konstas and Labushagne, with the latter appearing most likely to be given the tough job at the top of the order.
The 30-year-old has never opened at Test level, although Labushagne was discussed as an option to occupy the vacancy left by David Warner following the veteran's retirement in January 2024.
Labuschagne's elevation would squeeze Konstas out of the starting XI and accommodate Cameron Green, who missed the recent home summer due to a back injury, back in the order.
It is understood that he is set to be picked at first drop.
And while Cummins said a final decision is still yet to be made on who opens with Khawaja, the Aussie skipper hinted that the Queenslander is most likely to get the nod.
'There are three or four guys to fit into one spot and you can mount a case for basically any one of them,' Cummins told Yahoo Sport Australia.
'It's a really good problem to have. The selectors will get together in the next 48 hours and have a good look at the wicket and stay open-minded.
'Marn's batted there pretty much his whole career and there's been many games where he's walked out in the first over against the swinging ball. I know a lot of the batters probably say it makes a difference where they bat in the order, but for me, he's good enough to play anywhere.'
If selected, Labuschagne would become the fifth player to open alongside Khawaja since Warner's retirement.
Steve Smith, Nathan McSweeney and Konstas have all occupied the role before Travis Head was thrown up the order during this year's Test tour of Sri Lanka.
Despite a more than passable job as an opener in that series, Head will return to the middle order.
And according to Steve Smith – who had a brief but unsuccessful stint at the top of the order last year – Khawaja told him that Labushcagne looks better than ever in the lead-up to the WTC final.
'Looking at the nets yesterday I think he was batting with Uzzy and Uzzy came up to me afterwards and said, 'I think that's the best I've ever seen Marnus bat,'' Smith said, according to Code Sports.
'And that's a big call. Usman has seen a lot of him batting. Marnus was switched on, Uzzy was adamant, he was like, 'geez that was good. That was impressive.'
' (Marnus) seems in a nice place. I was speaking to him last night afterwards and I said that to him.
'I said, 'Uz said you batted really well and he's like, 'geez, I was on. I was in a really good spot.'
'Obviously we've got plenty of options. Marn obviously adds that experience and he's a terrific fielder and he can give us some overs I suppose at any point too. He's played a lot of cricket now and perhaps he hasn't had the best little period but we all go through that.'
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