Injury and Form Shake Up Australia’s XI for West Indies Opener

Australia will begin its 2027 World Test Championship campaign with a new batting unit as Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne miss out on the first Test against the West Indies.

Smith has been ruled out due to a finger injury sustained during the recent World Test Championship Final at Lord’s, while Labuschagne has been dropped after a prolonged dip in form. Josh Inglis and Sam Konstas have been named as their replacements.

"Steve needs more time for the wound to heal, so we’ll give him another week’s rest and assess his functionality after that," Chair of Selectors George Bailey announced on Friday. There remains hope that Smith will be fit for the second Test in Grenada, which begins on July 3.

Labuschagne’s omission comes after another underwhelming performance in the WTC Final, where he managed scores of 17 and 22 while opening the batting in Australia’s loss to South Africa.

“We have made the decision to give Josh and Sam the opportunity to replace Steve and Marnus. We are excited to see them get the chance to further their fledgling Test careers,” Bailey added.

Konstas impressed selectors with a gritty half-century against Jasprit Bumrah during the Boxing Day Test, while Inglis marked his arrival with a century on debut in Sri Lanka earlier this year.

Despite being left out, Labuschagne remains part of the squad. “Marnus at his best can be a really important member of this team,” Bailey said. “He understands his output hasn’t been at the level we, or he, expects. We continue to value his skill and expect him to work through the challenge positively.”

Australia's final playing XI will be confirmed closer to the start of the match.