Australia ready to embrace the pressure in World Test Championship final, says Cummins

LONDON: Australia’s serial winners are in no danger of becoming complacent ahead of their much-anticipated bout with the Proteas in the World Test Championship final at Lord’s on Wednesday. 

Pat Cummins’ team are the defending champions and overwhelming favourites to retain their Test crown to go along with the 50-over World Cup title won in India a couple years ago. 

"With some success you just want to experience more of it and that means when the going gets tough or the pressure is on you embrace that. You take it on," Cummins told the media at Lord’s on the eve of the showdown. 

"You want to be the match winner. Hopefully you don't get overwhelmed by big moments.

"That's been most of the conversation this week. The guys just have excitement. They want to get out there. They want to play well. They want to win. There's no fear of failure or if it doesn't pan out."

The Aussies are a lot more unsettled than usual with Marnus Labuschagne promoted to open the innings with veteran Usman Khawaja. The Klerksdorp-born Labuschagne is Khawaja's fifth opening partner in the last 12 Tests.

Cameron Green has also been inked in at No 3, even though Cummins cannot call on the allrounder’s bowling skills in this Test. This has paved the way for Beau Webster to retain his place in the middle-order.

But in typical Cummins fashion, the skipper has embraced the challenges. 

"There's a few more unknowns going into the Test match which is exciting," Cummins said. "I think we're going to have to problem solve on our feet a bit more. 

"Their bowlers we have seen a little bit of and there's a couple of big wicket takers there. Rabada and [Keshav] Maharaj have been around for a fair while now and been successful. 

"They're an obvious threat, but some of those younger or newer guys in the team that we haven't seen before, we're going to have to be pretty sharp on."

Green has been in particularly good form for his English County Championship team Gloucester with three centuries in five first-class matches, which swayed the Aussies’ selectors in his favour. 

"Cam Green, the last few weeks he's had, coming back in great form we thought he deserved a spot in the batting line-up," Cummins said.

"We thought three probably suits him best. And then, with Marnus moving, we thought it's one spot up really. It's not too different to batting three. He's done well here in England in the past.

"I think our selectors are probably showing that they're happy to give someone an extra little run rather than pull the pin too early. He's played some crucial knocks in getting us here. Look back at the MCG [against India], his batting was right up there as a difference in that match. I think it's part rewarding those guys have got us here."

Australia XI for Lord’s 

Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Cameron Green, Steven Smith, Travis Head, Beau Webster, Alex Carey (wk), Pat Cummins (capt), Mitchell Starc, 10 Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood.