Ponting picks Australia XI for World Test Championship Final

ICC Hall of Famer Ricky Ponting has revealed the playing XI he thinks Australia will use in the one-off ICC World Test Championship Final against South Africa.

Earlier this month, Australia named a strong 15-player squad for the Ultimate Test at Lord's starting June 11 and coach Andrew McDonald has already indicated he will wait until the side convenes in London prior to the contest before he settles on the make-up of the final XI.

While the majority of Australia's XI looks well settled, there are still some question marks surrounding who will partner Usman Khawaja at the top of Australia's batting order, the lack of runs for former No.1 ranked batter Marnus Labuschagne, just where star all-rounder Cameron Green slots into the side and which pacer is preferred out of Josh Hazlewood and Scott Boland.

Ponting discussed all of these issues on the latest episode of The ICC Review, with the former Australian captain going out on a limb and predicting exactly how he thinks the Aussies will line up.

"I have just got a bit of a feeling that Marnus Labuschagne might be pushed up the order to open the batting with Khawaja," Ponting declared.

"I think Green will bat at three and Steve Smith will be at four.

"Then it's Travis Head five, Beau Webster six, Carey at seven, Cummins eight, Starc nine and Lyon 10.

"And the one that everyone talks about the last couple of years is the whole Hazlewood (versus) Boland one. It's a really tough selection every time because every time Boland plays, he just does so well. But unfortunately, if Hazlewood is fit, I think Hazlewood comes straight back into the team."

Ponting thinks the biggest dilemma selectors will face will be what to do with Labuschagne and whether he is capable of pushing up the order and opening the batting at Test level for the first time.

Labuschagne has just one Test century to his name since the end of 2022 and failed to make much of an impression in two matches for County side Glamorgan earlier this month and the Aussies have Sam Konstas waiting in the wings should they want to provide the brash teenager with a baptism of fire in the one-off Test.

But Ponting expects Australia to put their faith in Labuschagne, citing the path selectors took with former opener David Warner prior to the last World Test Championship Final may be replicated once again.

"I actually think that that will go with Labuschagne," Ponting said.

"Looking back to the last World Test Championship Final there was some talk about David Warner and whether he should hold his spot going into that.

"And there was a bit of talk around the team about wanting to get through that period or that phase or if you like, with the same group of players and give them the chance to, to be able to play off in that one-off final.

"Labuschagne has been through this cycle with the team, albeit batting at No.3 and I think they will want to get through the cycle with the same players so I think Labuschagne will get the nod.

"Whether I agree with it or not, it's a different thing...all will be revealed in the next couple of weeks."

Ricky Ponting's predicted Australia XI for World Test Championship Final: 1. Usman Khawaja, 2. Marnus Labuschagne, 3. Cameron Green, 4. Steve Smith, 5. Travis Head, 6. Beau Webster, 7. Alex Carey (wk), 8. Pat Cummins (c), 9. Mitchell Starc, 10. Nathan Lyon, 11. Josh Hazlewood.