Australian selectors discuss moving Marnus Labuschagne to open in World Test Championship final

Cameron Green looks a certainty to return to the Australian team, but a decision on who opens with Usman Khawaja could be determined by one thing.

Australian coach Andrew McDonald says a decision on playing an all-rounder in the World Test Championship final will determine if one of Sam Konstas or Marnus Labuschagne misses out as selectors weigh up doing something “we’ve never done before” at Lord’s and promote Labuschagne to opener.

McDonald was adamant the “muddled mess” leading into the game, including players fleeing India after the IPL was delayed by a fleeting military incident, won’t impede preparations for the clash with South Africa.

About to fly to the team camp in the UK at an “undisclosed location”, McDonald said selectors had a preferred starting XI mapped out but with “multiple names in different positions”.

He said Labuschagne opening with Usman Khawaja “had been discussed” amid concern making such a major move in a big game could “unsettle the team”.

But McDonald also flagged that resurgent Cameron Green, coming off three county cricket centuries, could also bat at the top of the order, with final decisions to be made as close to three days before the June 11 start.

“He could bat anywhere,” McDonald said of Green, not hiding his excitement at the boom batter’s brilliant return from career-saving back surgery.

“He could be three, he could be five, he could be six, he could open.

Cameron Green is coming off three centuries for Gloucestershire. Picture: X/Gloucestershire Cricket @Gloscricket

“I think he’s got the temperament, the skillset, the defensive play as well. The higher up you go defensive skills are a priority, and he’s got all bases covered. He plays the short ball well.

“You’re not going to get a negative word from the coach about Cameron Green.”

McDonald said bedding down an opening combination to take the team forward was a priority after “moving parts” through the series against India and then Sri Lanka “weren’t ideal”.

Konstas lost his spot in Sri Lanka, and could yet keep Labuschagne, who made 27 runs in three middling county cricket innings for Glamorgan, out of the side, pending the need to pick all-rounder Beau Webster to boost the bowling stocks at Lord’s with Green still unable to bowl.

Sam Konstas has made technical changes. Picture: Darrian Traynor/Getty Images

McDonald said Konstas, who was part of the team camp in Brisbane, had made some technical changes after a poor end to the domestic season, adamant his “journey” would end with him being a much better player.

“There’s an 11 on a board but it has dashes with multiple names in different positions,” McDonald said on SEN.

“As we put the squad together the first part is to have a 15, to give yourself all options.

“Do we need to play the all-rounder That will then shuffle batting positions. We are quite flexible in our approach to that.

“It will depend on the all-rounder. If you need the all-rounder in the conditions, that would then lend itself to a decision around the top order. It will be how much we prioritise the bowling element.

“We’ve got roughly what we think it might look like, then there will be some decisions when we get to the pointy end. We’ll try to give clarity to the players the closer we get.”

Steve Smith (left) and coach Andrew McDonald, who has a big call to make on the batting order. Picture: Ishara S. Kodikara / AFP

McDonald also confirmed that only one of Josh Hazlewood, who has returned to India to play in the IPL finals, or Scott Boland would play at Lord’s.

The coach said while some players coming off long lay-offs and others off T20 cricket wasn’t “perfect”, it also wasn’t anything new.

“We have seven days of training. It will be good to see everyone come back together … it’s a muddled mess in terms of the prep,” he said.

“It always causes you unease when there is a T20 tournament right up to the start of the WTC. I’m not saying it’s perfect having people all over the world, but we are well versed in preparing players remotely, having guys with us, and bringing that all together.

“This has been a two-year journey, right back to the last WTC final. This is a priority for our group, they have zeroed in on it.”

Originally published as Australian selectors discuss moving Marnus Labuschagne to open in World Test Championship final