Pat Cummins is adamant Scott Boland is not “running out of time” in his Test career after being overlooked for spot in the World Test Championship final.
As Marnus Labuschagne edged out Sam Konstas for Australia’s opening vacancy and the fit-again Cameron Green returned to the XI to face South Africa, Boland was again an unfortunate casualty of the superstar ‘big three’ in Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood.
The Victorian fast bowler had mounted an overwhelming case to be included at Lord’s, taking a career-best 10 wickets in his last match for Australia to help clinch the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and secure qualification for the ICC Test decider.
He also boasts the best Test bowling average (17.66) in over a century of those to have bowled at least 2000 balls in Test cricket.
“There are some guys where you genuinely say, ‘You’ve done nothing wrong, don’t change a thing’,” said Cummins on the eve of Wednesday’s WTC final.
“Scotty is just really unfortunate to miss out.
“Joshy Hazlewood comes back in. We know how good he is.”
Hazlewood returns to the XI after initially overcoming a calf strain that ended his home summer early, and then a shoulder complaint that saw him miss four IPL matches before playing a key role in the playoffs to help Royal Challengers Bengaluru to their maiden title.
The 34-year-old narrowly missed Australia’s last WTC final triumph in 2023 due to injury, where Boland captured five wickets, including the crucial breakthrough of Virat Kohli on the final day.
But perhaps counting against him in his selection tussle with Hazlewood was his overall record from his three Tests in England, where his average (48.00) and strike rate (71.1) are significantly higher than his numbers at home (12.63 and 31.4 respectively).
Australia head to the Caribbean for three Tests after the WTC final before a home Ashes beckons later this year, where Boland looms as a key weapon following his dismantling of England on debut during their last visit to Aussie shores four years ago.
Cummins’ side will then play 15 Tests on three continents (South Africa, Australia and India) across a hectic six-month period from September 2026 to March 2027, meaning they’ll likely need a deep fast bowling battery to get through the stretch unscathed.
“The message to Scotty is there’s a lot of Test cricket coming up in the next couple of years, and just because you’re mid-30s, it doesn’t mean (that because) you’re missing this Test, it’s one Test off your career,” Cummins said.
“By having a squad of fast bowlers, hopefully we can extend all our careers for an extra couple of years.
“It’s really unfortunate Scotty misses this but the message to him is, ‘Don’t feel like you’re running out of time’. We’ve still got lots of time, hopefully, in his career.”
Joining 36-year-old Boland running drinks at Lord’s is Konstas, who at 19 years old does have time on his side, but who is equally unlucky to miss selection after his batting feats in on debut in Melbourne and then Sydney that played a role in Australia locking up a spot in the WTC showpiece.
With Green, playing as a specialist batter against South Africa and the West Indies, returning to team at first drop, selectors favoured Labuschagne’s experience over the raw talent of Konstas for the one-off Test final.
“I think part of the factor, (Labuschagne) is a somewhat known quantity and our selectors are probably showing they’d rather give someone an extra little run than pull the pin too early,” Cummins said.
“Marn’s played some crucial knocks in getting us here. Looking back at the MCG (against India), his batting was right up there as a difference in that match, and I think it’s part of rewarding those guys who got us here.”
Labuschagne will be Usman Khawaja’s fifth opening partner since David Warner’s retirement, but there’s no guarantees he’ll remain there for the first Test in Barbados later this month as selectors look to bed down their combination with an eye on the first Ashes Test on November 21.
“It’s a final so the selectors picked the best XI for this week,” Cummins said.
“George (Bailey) has said in the past, there’s not a huge connection between this week and the Caribbean, it’s quite separate. The main reason being, this is a final (in) different conditions, so we just want to pick what’s best for this week and think about the Windies after this game.
“(Sam’s) really young, he’s got a long career ahead of him, so hopefully even by not playing, being in Sri Lanka and here (in London), they’re learning opportunities.
“Ideally, by that first (Ashes) Test you’ve got your side pretty settled.
“It’s a fair way out, so I’m sure some (Sheffield) Shield cricket will come into it before that series.
“There’s a lot of water to go under that bridge but in a perfect world, you’ve got lots of guys who have played quite a few Test matches leading to that Ashes.”
World Test Championship Final
June 11-15: South Africa v Australia, Lord’s
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Australia squad: Pat Cummins (c), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Sam Konstas, Matt Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Beau Webster. Travelling reserve: Brendan Doggett
South Africa squad: Temba Bavuma (c), David Bedingham, Corbin Bosch, Tony de Zorzi, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Wiaan Mulder, Senuran Muthusamy, Lungi Ngidi, Dane Paterson, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs, Kyle Verreynne
