London [UK], June 9: As Australia gears up for a blockbuster ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final against South Africa, all eyes are on their batting stalwarts Steve Smith and Travis Head—two players who played defining roles in the team’s WTC triumph over India in 2023 at The Oval.
For Australia to become the first team to successfully defend the WTC title, they will once again rely on the brilliance of Smith and Head. If they falter, South Africa’s fiery pace attack—led by Kagiso Rabada, Marco Jansen, and Lungi Ngidi—could seize the moment and secure the Proteas’ maiden ICC title in the longest format.
Australia’s 2023 title win was largely shaped by a monumental 285-run partnership between Head (163) and Smith (121) after early jitters at 76/3. Their stand powered Australia to 469, which proved insurmountable for India, who eventually lost by 209 runs chasing 444.
Steve Smith has built a reputation as Australia’s go-to man in pressure matches, having amassed 584 runs in 12 ICC knockout games at an average of 58.40, including two centuries and four half-centuries. His top score is 121, and he continues to be a cornerstone of Australia’s Test setup at age 36, having recently crossed 10,000 Test runs. In the WTC 2023-25 cycle, he has scored 1,324 runs in 19 Tests at 41.37, with five centuries to his name.
Travis Head has emerged as a fearless match-winner, particularly in crunch ICC fixtures. Across five innings in four ICC knockout matches, he has scored 419 runs at a staggering average of 104.22, including two centuries. One of those came in the 2023 World Cup final in Ahmedabad, where he denied India a third title with a masterclass knock. In this WTC cycle, Head has 1,177 runs from 19 matches at an average of 35.66 and a remarkable strike rate of 81.06.
Australia’s 15-member WTC final squad features a blend of experience and youth:
- Batters: Usman Khawaja, Sam Konstas, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head
- Wicketkeepers: Alex Carey, Josh Inglis
- All-rounders: Cameron Green, Beau Webster
- Bowlers: Pat Cummins (captain), Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Scott Boland, Nathan Lyon, Matt Kuhnemann
- Travelling Reserve: Brendan Doggett
Australia is chasing history. But to do that, their proven big-match performers—Smith and Head—will need to deliver once again when it matters most.