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As the highly anticipated World Test Championship (WTC) 2025 Final between Australia and South Africa nears, former Australian captain and respected pundit Mark Taylor has stepped forward with his ideal XI for the one-off clash.
High stakes WTC 2025 final at Lord’s
Scheduled to begin on June 11 at the historic Lord’s Cricket Ground, the final is poised to be a riveting contest between two heavyweight teams. Australia will enter the showdown brimming with confidence, having recently secured a commanding 3-1 Test series victory over India in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Yet despite the settled nature of much of the Australian squad, Taylor believes critical selection questions remain unresolved, especially at the top of the order and in the bowling department. His choices reflect a blend of pragmatism, experience, and situational flexibility, emphasizing that the WTC Final demands immediate performance over long-term planning.
Mark Taylor reveals his Australia XI for WTC Final 2025
In a candid episode of the LiSTNR Cricket Podcast, host Alyssa Healy jokingly asked Taylor, nicknamed Tubby to share his thoughts, teasing that he’d become “the 938,000th person to give their opinion” on Australia’s opening conundrum. She added, “But yours is more relevant than the rest of us,” Taylor responded with measured clarity, reiterating a point he has held for months: the WTC Final is a one-off match, and Australia must field their best six batters regardless of past roles or future trajectories. He stressed that with both teams coming off long red-ball breaks and playing in neutral, unfamiliar England conditions, pragmatism must trump sentimentality.
“Well, I I’ve been saying for months now that I I think you got to pick your best six banners for this game. It’s a one-off game and look, we haven’t played a test match for months now and either South Africa for that matter. It’s a it’s a game in the middle of the the the Southern Hemisphere winter. You got two southern hemisphere teams playing a world test championship final in the northern hemisphere. So, but you know, which actually sort of evens the playing field, I suppose. But both sides, I think, just got to go and say, “Okay, what’s our best team right now for this game?” Don’t worry about what it says for next summer or next test match. Just what’s our best team?,” Taylor said.
Opening shock in form of partner to Usman Khawaja
Perhaps the biggest talking point from Taylor’s XI is the omission of young opener Sam Konstas, who many believed would be backed for the final after a promising domestic and A-team season. Taylor admitted that while he sees Constus as a long-term opener, particularly earmarking him for the West Indies series in July, he doesn’t believe the WTC Final is the right time to invest in future potential. Instead, Taylor proposed a left-field opening combination of Usman Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne, the latter of whom has traditionally resisted a move up the order.
“And I think with that in mind, I I don’t have Sam Constus in my team. Um I I have him in my future team. Yes. And I think the West Indies is where if I was a selector, he would be getting back in the team irrespective of what happens uh in the World Test Championship. I’d be saying, “Right, uh, Sam, you’re going to open the batting in the West Indies first test match. Was that July or August or something?” July. Okay. So, that’s that done. I would have I’d be talking to Manis and saying, “I know you don’t didn’t want to move up to open the batting, but if you want to stay on the team, you got to you’re going to move up the batting. If you want to stay in the team, Marnus, you’ve got to move up,” the former Australian cricket suggested bluntly.
Taylor’s middle order includes the familiar presence of Steve Smith at No. 3, Cameron Green as the all-rounder, Travis Head at No. 5 and newcomer Beau Webster at 6, a surprise pick aimed at deepening the batting. Alex Carey retains the wicketkeeping gloves, with Taylor opting for continuity despite Carey’s mixed returns with the bat in recent months.
“So I’d have Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Cameron Green, Travis Head, Beau Webster, Alex Carey Bowlers and the the only other the only bowling spot to talk about whether it’s going to be Hazelwood or Boland,” the cricket pundit added.
Bowling dilemma: Josh Hazelwood or Scott Boland?
In the fast-bowling department, Taylor backed the proven trio of Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, and Nathan Lyon, with the final spot boiling down to Josh Hazlewood vs Scott Boland. Taylor confessed he hasn’t seen much of the IPL but acknowledged Hazlewood’s recent return during the IPL 2025 Final.
While praising Hazlewood as “as good a bowler as any in the world” when fit, he raised a crucial fitness question: Can Hazlewood handle a Test match workload after playing only four overs in T20s? If he can, Taylor backs him to play. But if there’s even a sliver of doubt, Boland, the incumbent and Lord’s specialist—gets the nod. Boland’s control and ability to exploit English conditions with seam and bounce make him a compelling option, particularly in swinging June conditions.
“Once again I haven’t watched a lot of the IPL. Um I think on his day Josh Hazelwood is probably as good a bowler is in world cricket. uh if he can get through the test match, he he you you go with him because he’s that good. But Scotty Boland is is now the incumbent. He’s played the last couple of tests, the last three tests in Australia last year. So there’s a very good argument that Scott Bolan should play in England. Um so I I I don’t know how fit Josh is. He’s just played the IPL final. Um got through four overs, sure. But can he do 20 overs and make and bowl five the next day? If he can answer that question and the answer is yes, I’m I’m going with the normal bowling attack and and Scotty misses out,” Taylor concluded.
Also READ: Australia’s Ashes rival joins South Africa squad ahead of the WTC 2025 Final
