IPL, county cricket or nets at home: how the Australians have prepared for the WTC final

The Australia squad for the World Test Championship final convenes in the UK this week for a team-building camp before training ramps ahead of facing South Africa at Lord's on June 11. Coach Andrew McDonald termed the recent period a "muddled mess" with a mixture of players at home, featuring in the IPL either side of its suspension and playing county cricket but was confident in how the side would be able to prepare once they are all together. Here's a round-up of what those selected have been up to over the last couple of months.

After the controversial end to the season amid the fallout with Queensland cricket boss Joe Dawes over Sheffield Shield availability it's been a period at home for Khawaja as he enters what might be the final stretch of his international career. The end of the Ashes next season, which concludes at the SCG, could be the stepping off point. In the WTC final his experience will be vital given the uncertainty over who will partner him at the top of the order.

Konstas had been keen for a county deal to further his cricket education but an opening didn't transpire so he, too, has prepared at home with sessions at Cricket Central in Sydney and at the Brisbane-based camps where McDonald revealed he had been working on some technical tweaks. It will be fascinating to watch how the next couple of months play out for Konstas after the high-octane start to his career against India. The Daily Telegraph reported that he had self-funded an extra session in Brisbane after being invited up by Nathan Lyon.

The key figure in Australia's selection debate. Has time run out for Labuschagne after two lean years in Test cricket? His two-match stint with Glamorgan was unconvincing with scores of 0, 4 and 23. But in his favour is the experience he has of playing in England, although should he retain his place in the XI it looks increasingly likely he would be handed a new role as opener.

Smith has spent time in New York, a favourite destination of his and somewhere he owns property, where he has regularly posted on social media of various runs around the city and gym sessions ahead of joining his team-mates in the UK. With over 10,000 Test runs the management are content to allow Smith to tailor his own preparation and he will no doubt switch on to some intense net sessions when the squad begins training. As ever with Smith there is intrigue around how much longer his career will go but his recent run-scoring suggests the hunger remains.

Head has been among the contingent at the IPL and while he couldn't match the highs of last season he still produced the occasional dazzling display as he made 374 runs with a strike-rate of 162.60. He signed off with 76 off 40 balls in Sunrisers Hyderabad's (SRH) massive 278 for 3, having overcome a bout of Covid, and now the transition begins to Test mode. Head played the decisive innings two years ago with a thrilling 163 off 174 balls against India at The Oval.

Things could hardly have gone much better for Green on his return from the back surgery that kept him out for the whole of the last home season. Three centuries in nine innings for Gloucestershire, including tons in his last two outings, has left him primed for a return to the Test side even though he won't be a bowling option until the Ashes later in the year. Last time he played Tests, against New Zealand in early 2024, he batted at No. 4 where he made a superb unbeaten 174 in Wellington. Where he fits in this time is intriguing.

Webster, who impressed on his Test debut against India, has had a four-game spell with Warwickshire where he has chipped in without setting things alight. He made 85 in his first innings but did not pass fifty again while claiming 10 wickets at 27.80. Whether he retains his place at Lord's appears likely to come down to conditions and how important the selectors view overs from a fifth bowler.

Carey finished last season in some of the best form of his life having made a century in Sri Lanka, runs at the Champions Trophy and two hundreds to end the Shield season, the second of them central to South Australia's historic title victory. Since then he has been at home and has used the camps in Brisbane this month to tune up for the final.

Inglis has been with Punjab Kings (PBKS) at the IPL where he had to bide his time on the bench but has since played eight matches - making 197 runs at a strike-rate of 164.16 - either side of the tournament's suspension with his latest innings being a superb 73 off 42 balls. He was a slightly late returnee but will be available for the playoffs meaning he will join the squad in the UK when PBKS' campaign comes to an end. Despite a century on Test debut in Sri Lanka he will likely be carrying drinks at Lord's.

Cummins completed the entire season for SRH as they failed to make the playoffs. He finished as their joint-leading wicket-taker with 16 at 28.12 having not played since the final Test against India due to paternity leave and an ankle problem he had nursed through the summer. Behind the scenes he has been working on increasing his loads with an eye on a return to red-ball cricket at Lord's and the next couple of weeks will be vital in ensuring he can peak against South Africa.

Starc did not return to the IPL with Delhi Capitals meaning his tournament ended with 14 wickets at 26.14. His economy rate was high at 10.16 but he produced a couple of starring performances including a career-best 5 for 35. Having remained in Australia, Starc joined the home-based players in Brisbane last week which meant his focused WTC preparation started a little ahead of schedule.

Another of those based at home, Lyon has been bowling at the training camps having recovered from a hip injury he carried for most of the home summer after initially picking it up early in the India series. It was a nastier injury than was initially indicated and a build-up of fluid needed draining to ensure he could get through the Sri Lanka tour, but feedback from the last few weeks is that he is in excellent shape heading to England.

After spending a period back in Australia rehabbing a shoulder niggle, Hazlewood has returned for the IPL playoffs with Royal Challengers Bengaluru aiming to cap what had been an outstanding season before the interruption. Hazlewood, who had an injury-hit home season, has so far taken 18 wickets at 17.27 with an economy of 8.44 and often found success with his Test-match length. Barring any further injury setbacks he will likely keep Scott Boland out of the XI at Lord's.

Speaking of Boland, he's the ultimate super sub for Australia should anything happen to the big three. He managed a knee niggle through the closing stages of the season and opted against finding a small window for a county stint. Two years ago he was impressive against India in the final but may have to watch from the sidelines this time.

It was a rollercoaster latter part to the season for Kuhnemann who starred in Sri Lanka and then had his action reported. He was cleared by ICC testing and after a period of the off-season at home has squeezed in a one-game outing for Glamorgan which proved very productive with a career-best 6 for 53. He won't feature at Lord's barring injury to Lyon but could play a role in the Caribbean.

Doggett is the traveling reserve for the WTC final so will only be called into the 15 should injury strike. He has had a three-game stint with Durham which brought nine wickets at 33.44. An impressive home season has seen him leapfrog Sean Abbott in the pecking order.