Australia Skipper Pat Cummins Reveals Reason Behind Marnus Labuschagne's New Role In WTC 2025 Final: 'Rewarding Those Guys Who Got Us Here'

WTC 2025 Final: Pat Cummins-led Australia will lock horns against Temba Bavuma's South Africa in the high-voltage Final clash of the World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-2025, at the Lord's in London, from Wednesday, June 11th.

Just a day before the WTC 2025 showdown, both Australia and South Africa announced their playing eleven for the upcoming clash. The Aussies made some major changes in their first eleven, especially in their batting lineup.

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Australia batter Usman Khawaja will have a new opening partner with him at Lord's, as Marnus Labuschagne has been put up the order. Meanwhile, all-rounder Cameron Green will bat at the third number in the WTC 2025 Final. On the other hand, Steven Smith and Travis Head have been pushed back in the batting order.

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Pat Cummins Opens Up On Marnus Labuschagne's New Role For Australia In WTC Final

While speaking at the pre-match press conference, Australia captain Pat Cummins addressed people's questions regarding Labuschagne's new role against South Africa and said that the selectors are happy with the 30-year-old's performance in recent times.

“I think it’s part of the factor. He is a somewhat known quantity (and) our selectors are probably showing that they’re happy to … give someone an extra little run rather than pull the pin too early,” Pat Cummins said as quoted by Fox Cricket.

Cummins added that Labuschagne had played some stunning knocks in the 2023-2025 cycle of the WTC, for which he was rewarded. The Aussie captain also praised Marnus Labuschagne's crucial knock against India in the Melbourne Test.

“Marns, again, he’s played some crucial knocks in getting us here. You look back at the MCG (against India), and his batting was right up there as a difference in that match. So, yeah, I think it’s partly (about) rewarding those guys who got us here,” he added.

The Aussie Top-Order Batter's Numbers In Test Cricket

Marnus Labuschagne has played 57 Test matches and 102 innings, amassing 4396 runs at a strike rate of 51.94 and an average of 46.76. The right-handed batter played his maiden Test match for Australia in 2018 against Pakistan.