Konstas and Green named in Australia's World Test Championship final squad

The intrigue over who will open for Australia in the World Test Championship final is likely to continue until closer to the Test against South Africa at Lord's with the decision to be made whether to recall Sam Konstas and if Cameron Green can be fitted back into the team.

Meanwhile, the selectors and management will adjust the preparation plans for those players who are part of the WTC squad and opt to return to the IPL which will resume on May 17 with the final now pushed to June 3, just a week before the Test.

There were no surprises in Australia's 15-player squad for the final which will also be the same one which tours West Indies shortly afterwards. Green has been included following his return from injury where he is currently playing for Gloucestershire and left-arm spinner Matt Kuhnemann taking the final slot to provide direct cover for Nathan Lyon at Lord's and a likely partner for him in West Indies. Josh Inglis, who made a century on Test debut against Sri Lanka, is another batting option and a reserve wicketkeeper behind Alex Carey.

Josh Hazlewood picked up a shoulder problem before the IPL was suspended but it is not currently posing concerns for Australia's medical staff. Hazlewood, who had an injury-hit home summer against India, was edged out of the 2023 WTC final against India when he couldn't quite recover from a side strain with selectors taking a cautious approach given the Ashes series which followed.

Hazlewood (calf) and captain Pat Cummins (ankle and paternity leave) missed the two-Test series in Sri Lanka earlier this year.

The squad can be freely amended for another couple of weeks before technical committee approval would be required for any injury replacements.

Brendan Doggett, the South Australia quick who had an outstanding domestic season and is currently playing county cricket for Durham, will be a travelling reserve.

Barring any injury concerns emerging in the next few weeks, the biggest question for Australia's selectors will be who partners Usman Khawaja. Konstas was left out in Sri Lanka following his dramatic debut against India when selectors opted for a conditions-specific approach by using Travis Head at the top of the order.

Now they need to decide whether the final is a moment to bring Konstas back or potentially wait for the Tests against West Indies. Part of the jigsaw puzzle is Green's availability as a batter-only following the back injury which required surgery and ruled him out of the whole of last season. Green made a century on debut for Gloucestershire but has since scored 3, 4, 2 and 8.

"I think there's still a few moving parts in terms of guys [who are] playing and some of the other players," chair of selectors George Bailey said in Brisbane as players based in Australia attended their first pre-tour camp. "Cameron Green's returning as well, so where he works up into the line-up. Josh Inglis has performed really well. I think with the squad, Pat and Andrew [McDonald] will have plenty of options as to where they go, but we have been really strong on trying to delineate between the World Test Championship final and then separate out the West Indies."

Should the selectors opt to bring Green back space will need to be found and the option of promoting Marnus Labuschagne to open, which may be a final chance for him to save his Test place, could allow Green to come in at No. 3, although he has only batted that high once in his first-class career. Bailey also said that Inglis was capable of going in at the top. Prior to his back injury, Green had returned at No. 4 during the brief period where Steven Smith opened and made a superb 174 not out in Wellington.

"I think Marnus could open the batting," Bailey said. "I think we've got a number of guys who could open the batting, but that's not to say they will. I'm not trying to be cryptic about it. We're [not] sitting on the XI and we know what it is, but we're not announcing it. I just think there's quite a bit to work through...the Test is another month away."

One other route that may be considered is whether Green edges out Beau Webster at No. 6 although that would leave the side without an additional bowling option behind the four specialists with Green not due to return with the ball until close to the Ashes later in the year.

"I think that will become clearer once we get to the UK and probably get eyes on particularly those fast bowlers that have been playing in India," Bailey said. "They're all working pretty hard behind the scenes to make sure they start to ramp up their loads a little bit. But it will be a slightly different preparation, so we'll get a bit of a chance to see where they're at."

Australia's preparations for the final have been handed a complicating factor with the updated IPL schedule. The players are due to have a pre-tour camp in Scotland from late May before shifting to London ahead of the Test.

"We don't expect any material impact on the preparation for the World Test Championship," Ben Oliver, the head of national teams, said. "We've got players obviously preparing here in Australia, we've got players preparing around the world before they then assemble in the UK, but we'll work through that individually with players over the coming days.

It has yet to be confirmed which players will return to India, but Inglis (Punjab Kings) and Mitchell Starc (Delhi Capitals) are with teams who are in contention for the final as is Hazlewood should he be fit and make himself available. Head and Cummins (Sunrises Hyderabad) are not in the mix for the playoffs with their last league game now set for May 26 if they opt to return.

"No doubt it was an extreme situation and we feel it's really appropriate to support their individual experience and their individual decision as they work through that over the coming days," Oliver said.

Australia's Test series against West Indies starts 10 days after the WTC final with matches in Barbados, Grenada and Jamaica.

Pat Cummins (capt), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Sam Konstas, Matt Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Steven Smith, Mitchell Starc, Beau Webster | Travelling reserve: Brendan Doggett