Former India player turned veteran commentator Aakash Chopra has said that significant changes might be seen in the Australian batting lineup after the 2025 World Test Championship (WTC) final as well. He also opined on Usman Khawaja’s poor show against Jasprit Bumrah in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25, where he also got out similarly in both innings of the ongoing WTC final.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel ‘Aakash Chopra,’ he said, “The downfall of Australia’s batting is also a cause for concern. You have reached the final and are also the defending champions, but I feel the batting downfall is also happening alongside that. Changes will happen there too, and we might see it in the upcoming WTC cycle. Usman Khawaja hasn’t scored runs. He had totally surrendered against Bumrah. He got dismissed in identical fashion in this match. You got Marnus Labuschagne to open because, since Warner has retired, no one apart from Khawaja has scored a hundred.”
While talking about Australia don’t having a stable opener, Chopra stated that Cameron Green isn’t an ideal No. 3 batting option.
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“You are trying different, different openers. Sometimes Sam Konstas and sometimes Marnus Labuschagne. Doesn’t look a part in that sense. You are making Cameron Green bat up the order. He is not a No. 3 batter, especially in conditions where the ball is moving,” he added.
While adding that Beau Webster top-scored with a 92-ball 72 in Australia’s first innings of the 2025 WTC final, Aakash Chopra stated that the all-rounder doesn’t look like an accomplished Test batter as well.
“Beau Webster has scored runs, he scored 72 runs in the first innings, but when you see him playing, he doesn’t seem like an established Test batter. He will get stuck wherever the ball swings or turns a little. It doesn’t look like the Australian batting lineup you used to be scared of. I feel a slight vulnerability is being seen. Whenever the opposing team has bowled well, they have gotten exposed. The transition hasn’t completely started there thus far, but Australia’s turn will also come,” Aakash Chopra concluded.
