The World Test Championship (WTC 2025 Final) loss to South Africa will be a tough one to digest for the Aussies. They had won the title in the last cycle and then put up an exhilarating performance to eclipse India at home and qualify for the summit clash in a bid to defend the title.
However, the Proteas managed to outclass the favourites and script history by breaking a 27-year-long ICC trophy drought and winning their maiden WTC title.
In the wake of this loss, the Australian management will be looking to make changes in the new cycle, while some of the ageing stars may look to make way for the youngsters to step in. On those lines, let’s take a look at three such Aussies who might choose to retire in the next WTC cycle (2025-27).
The left-handed opener has been a consistent name at the top of the order for some time now. Given his experience, Australia likely expected a stronger performance from him in the WTC final but unfortunately that didn’t happen. Khawaja scored 0 and 6 in both innings and failed to give the Aussies the start they needed. In the previous WTC Final too (2023) which they won, Khawaja had a disappointing show with scores of 0 and 13.
Now that Australia has lost, it could be the right time to make the transition to the next generation. The likes of Sam Konstas and Nathan McSweeney could be an option, while Marnus Labuschagne also got the go-ahead to open vs SA.
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All-rounder Mitchell Marsh is another name who might opt to retire from the longest format. His Test career has been at crossroads, especially after being dropped from the fifth Test during the Border Gavaskar Trophy earlier this year with Beau Webster getting his debut, who also featured in the WTC Final 2025.
While Marsh’s back issue coupled with his poor performances has recently kept him out of the side, his best form in the baggy green came in 2023. Since then it has gone downhill and there have been growing calls to drop him from the format for good. In his last eight Tests, the right-hander has managed a solitary Test fifty and bowled only 50 overs, which basically translates into less than 7 overs per Test.
Apart from the back injury, he has a history of fitness concerns, having dealt with issues in his calves, ankles, back, and hamstring. At 33, Marsh isn’t getting any younger either and given that he plays white-ball cricket and franchise cricket too, he might take a call to opt out of the format to manage his workload.
While Nathan Lyon has explicitly clarified before that he isn’t thinking of his retirement yet, especially with a home Ashes series lined up next, the stalwart Aussie spinner might decide to make way for the youngsters sometime before the next final that will be in 2027 when he will be almost 40. In such a case, Matthew Kuhnemann, who impressed with 16 wickets in the two-Test Sri Lanka tour earlier this year is touted to be Lyon’s best spin successor. The Aussies also have Todd Murphy in the ranks, who can be groomed as a like-for-like replacement.
On the other hand, one of their top stars from the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, 36-year-old pacer Scott Boland has been limited to opportunities due to the presence of the big three in the pace department – Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins. However, Boland has delivered whenever called upon.
Given that he will turn 38 by the end of the new WTC cycle, it remains to be seen what the Aussie management decides regarding the speedster’s future and how his body adjusts.
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