The World Test Championship final presents a fascinating contrast between Australia’s batting depth and South Africa’s bowling firepower, with both strengths capable of determining the match outcome. Australia’s lineup features three of the cycle’s top-10 run-scorers, demonstrating the consistency that helped them reach another final.
Steve Smith’s return to form with five centuries during the WTC cycle, combined with Travis Head’s big-match temperament and Usman Khawaja’s reliability, creates a formidable batting foundation. The potential addition of Cameron Green adds another layer of depth, even without his bowling contribution due to injury.
South Africa counters with a pace attack led by Kagiso Rabada, whose 47 wickets at 19.97 during the cycle rank him among the world’s elite bowlers. Marco Jansen’s emergence as a top-10 ranked bowler, combined with the variety offered by Wiaan Mulder, creates a bowling unit capable of dismantling even the strongest batting lineups.