Australia’s batting unit is set for a shake-up following their defeat to South Africa in the World Test Championship (WTC) final at Lord’s, with Marnus Labuschagne’s place under serious threat and Usman Khawaja likely to retain his spot heading into the Ashes later this year.

Head coach Andrew McDonald and the selectors are expected to decide within the next 48 hours whether reinforcements are needed for the upcoming three-Test series in the West Indies. A major talking point is the possible return of 19-year-old Sam Konstas at the top of the order, with Labuschagne’s underwhelming form adding weight to the call for change.

Labuschagne, who was elevated to open for the first time in his Test career at Lord’s, managed only 17 and 22 in the two innings, capping off a disappointing WTC cycle in which he averaged just 27.82. The move was made to accommodate Cameron Green at No. 3, but with Steven Smith nursing a finger injury, Labuschagne may still retain his place, though even that seems far from guaranteed.

"He's missed out on big scores," McDonald said after the final. “We’re confident he can return to his best, and that’s why we keep picking him. But at what point do we stop picking him?” Despite the underwhelming returns, McDonald stressed that Labuschagne remains a key part of Australia's long-term plans. "Anyone who averages 45 or 46 in Test cricket at that age is important. He’s had a positive week in terms of preparation, no harder worker than Marnus, but now it’s really just about the returns."

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Selectors Show Faith in Khawaja, but Labuschagne’s Test Future Hangs in the Balance Ahead of West Indies Tour

In contrast, Khawaja, despite falling cheaply twice to Kagiso Rabada at Lord’s, has earned the selectors’ backing. The veteran opener, who scored a career-best 232 against Sri Lanka just three Tests ago, appears to have the kind of stability and experience the team values, even amid questions around his effectiveness against pace.

“He’s on contract, he’s an important player,” McDonald reiterated. “We like to look at our players at their best… I don’t see an end date for him. He’s still moving well, still training hard, and has runs left in him.” Khawaja is expected to get the same long rope David Warner received during the twilight of his Test career.

Meanwhile, the squad could also see some reshuffling depending on conditions in the Caribbean. Josh Inglis, who scored a hundred on debut, could be considered in spin-friendly situations, while Travis Head may again be viewed as a potential opener on slower surfaces. However, McDonald was quick to emphasise that Australia would look to strike a balance between future planning for the Ashes and adapting to local conditions in the West Indies.

“We haven’t played a Test there since 2015,” he said. “So there’s a little bit of the unknown. But we feel we’ve got a squad that can cover all bases.” Despite the batting concerns, McDonald made it clear that Australia’s shortcomings at Lord’s were not restricted to the top order. “We lost 5 for 20 in the first innings and 7 wickets for not many in the second. That’s 12 wickets for not much. We’re better than that.”

As Australia prepares to begin a new WTC cycle in the Caribbean, all eyes will be on how the selectors respond to the latest setback and whether this marks the beginning of a transitional phase in the batting order.