It could be said that the europhia surrounding South Africa winning the World Test Championship (WTC) is starting to die down. However, as with any completed series' or match/es, there will always be talking points. These reactions are mixed. This is due to the differing point of views.
On the Australian side, it's rather odd that they are focusing on The Ashes (which is taking place at the end of the year) instead of when they face the West Indies later this month.
Australian captain, Pat Cummins, said after Australia's five-wicket defeat that there are some big calls to be made over the next few weeks. "After this Test match, everyone is thrown back into the conversation so it's a bit of a reset for the first Test [in West Indies]," Cummins said.
"We've obviously got a team here that got us to the final so it's about when do we feel it's the right time to change. We've got a few weeks until that first game against West Indies so we will take some time to digest this game before we sit down to think about that."
Australia head coach, Andrew McDonald, acknowledged there are "some decisions to make" and "relevant questions around our batting and bowling depth."
There exists several issues facing the Aussies which might give England some heart before they begin their bid to regain the urn in Perth on 21 November.
Khawaja under pressure
Usman Khawaja will turn 39 in December and must be wondering if he will get a tap on the shoulder before then. The opening batter was catapulted back into the Australian side in the 2021-22 Ashes series after Travis Head got Covid and made hundreds in both innings which revived his international career.
Against South Africa at Lord's, however, he was particularly unsettled against the pace and disciplined lengths of Kagiso Rabada. A tortuous 20-ball duck (scoring 0) in the first innings was followed by an unconvincing 23-ball six in the second, nicking off to Rabada on both occasions.
Cummins noted Khawaja has gone through lean patches previously in his career and "got out of it" and he was certain runs "aren't too far away" for the experienced left-hander. "His name was similarly thrown out there before the Sri Lanka series and he answered with a double hundred and showed us how good he is," Cummins said.
"He's got a good record of dragging himself out and finding his best again. But like anyone else, yeah you've got to be scoring runs and taking wickets." A poor tour of the West Indies and Khawaja will be feeling the heat but McDonald maintained he has a "big part to play." "It will come down to his inner drive and the way he prepares," he added. "I don't see an end date with the way he's training, the way he's preparing, the way he's moving."
Top order 'musical chairs'
In the build-up to the WTC final, who would open the batting alongside Khawaja against South Africa was a source of national debate Down Under. Nathan McSweeney, Travis Head, Sam Konstas and Steve Smith have all been tried recently.
Marnus Labuschagne was handed the role at Lord's but modest returns of 17 and 22 are unlikely to settle the debate. McDonald said the 30-year-old is still a "big part of the future of the team" even though he has "missed out on some scores." "At the moment, he'll be disappointed with the returns," added the Aussie coach.
"We're confident he can return to his best and that's why we keep picking him. And at what point do we stop picking him?" If the Labuschagne experiment has already been deemed a failure, then he may revert back to three with Konstas looking likely to come in.
Cameron Green, who looked woefully out of his depth batting at three, will likely drop back down the order. There's been a lot of chopping and changing with Australia's top order and they have three Tests to try to settle on a formula that works.
"I was on the record a couple of weeks ago talking about the need to bed down that opening combination," said McDonald. "We've had a bit of musical chairs there so now might be the time.
"We've got a problem to solve around what the best order is and I think it will continue to create debate even when we settle on a top order because that's the nature of the Australian cricket team."
Do quick Tests make Lyon a passenger?
Nathan Lyon has 553 wickets in 137 Test matches for Australia. The off-spinner is third on Australia's all-time list of wicket-takers with only Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne above him. Lyon's impact on this match was negligible. He bowled 34 wicketless overs for 78 and rarely looked a threat albeit his economy was still a miserly 2.29.
The 37-year-old got the opportunity to bowl in the fourth innings at Lord's but the manner in which this Test match rattled along meant the pitch had not disintegrated sufficiently for him to land a glove.
There's a school of thought that England's Bazball approach could produce shorter Tests and Lyon's impact on the match could be nullified as it was here. If that's the case, he may end up being a passenger. Australia might be minded to consider a leg-spinner if they wanted a more attacking option, although they have not picked one since Mitchell Swepson played the last of his four Tests in in 2022.
White-ball specialist, Adam Zampa, has not entirely given up hopes of playing Test cricket but a lack of red-ball cricket counts against him.
Worries over ageing seam attack
With 969 Test wickets between them; Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Cummins have been the fulcrum of Australia's seam bowling attack. However, at 35, 34 and 32, respectively, they are not getting any younger.
"I think the bowling had some areas [against South Africa] where we let the tempo of the game shift on day three," McDonald said. "There's always great debate around selection. Ultimately, it will keep being debated until we get the returns that a) the players expect and b) we expect as a coaching staff."
If form or fitness becomes an issue for the trio, then Australia don't have a lot of obvious options up their sleeve. Scott Boland has consistently proved an excellent stand in but at 36, he is even older than the men he could potentially replace in the side. Apart from Boland, the specialist bowling stocks are a little bare with the likes of Beau Webster and Green likely to fill the breach.
Selecting all-rounders Green and Webster weakens Australia's batting and could be a subtle indication they are trying to have enough overs at their disposal to protect their old pacers. Alternatively, Australia would have to blood someone unproven at Test level or recall a more experienced seamer who has not been around the side for a few years.
It feels like Starc and Hazlewood will potentially see a home Ashes as their Test swansong. That worked out nicely for Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne during the 2006-07 Ashes but there's no guarantee of Hollywood ending in Test cricket.
Pat Cummins has acknowledged that a “reset” is coming for his team after another top-order capitulation opened the door for a South African upset for the ages.
Not having lost an ICC final since 2010, Australia were upstaged by Temba Bavuma’s fighting Proteas at Lord’s in a five-wicket defeat, crushing their hopes of defending the WTC title they won in 2023.
Australia’s batting woes were laid bare, particularly in the second innings when only plucky knocks from fast bowler, Mitchell Starc and wicketkeeper, Alex Carey, saved the top-ranked team from utter embarrassment. Batting conditions became ideal at the start of day three when the sun came out. The pitch was suddenly flat and pace bowlers struggled for the movement they got in the first innings.
It was too late for the Australians, who were already 144-8 to start on Friday, a lead of only 212. "There’s probably quite a few people in the line-up that wish they could have done a little bit more," Cummins said. "Obviously, the top three was an obvious one in this game." Promoted from no. 3 to opener in a Test for the first time, the struggling Marnus Labuschagne got starts but ultimately only made 17 and 22 to extend his century drought to almost 24 months.
Labuschagne’s opening partner, the 38-year-old Usman Khawaja, was again exposed against express pace after falling to Proteas spearhead, Kagiso Rabada, for scores of 0 and 7. Khawaja made a career best 232 on slow pitches in Sri Lanka earlier this year but his recent history against quality fast bowlers is a concern.
Cameron Green, who batted at no. 3 in his first Test since March 2024 after recovering from back surgery, was also troubled by Rabada and was out for 4 and 0. Green, aged 26, was the only member of the Australian XI in his 20s in this Test. After suffering a compound dislocation of his right little finger at Lord’s, Steve Smith has almost no chance to play in at least the first Test against the West Indies.
Teenager, Sam Konstas, who announced himself last Boxing Day, is set to be given an opportunity as opener for Australia’s first tour of the Caribbean in 10 years. If Smith can’t play, Konstas could slot back in to open with Khawaja, while Labuschagne would likely drop down to no 3.
Josh Inglis, who scored a century on debut against Sri Lanka earlier this year, is also in the squad and could be given a chance. "In white-ball series a lot of the time, you build on four-year cycles around World Cups for ODIs," Cummins said.
"Maybe it’s an opportunity in the Test matches to do something similar. But it’s a little bit early to tell. Coming into this match, you’ve got guys like Sam Konstas and Scotty Boland, Josh Inglis, all those guys who are right on the fringes."
"After this Test match, everyone gets thrown back into the conversation, and it’s a little bit of a reset for the first Test against the West Indies. Give it a 48 hours, everyone kind of digests and works out if we keep the same squad."
Former opener and head coach, Justin Langer, has advised Australia to retain Marnus Labuschagne in their top-order, saying that omitting him from the side would hinder the development of future Test team batters. Labuschagne's spot has become doubtful after Australia suffered a five-wicket defeat to South Africa in the ICC World Test Championship final. Labuschagne was moved up to open against South Africa but scores of 17 and 22 meant he ended the two-year cycle with an average of 27.82.
"Marnus is a 50-Test player. He's been the best player in the world. He still averages (46.19). All players go through it. If you're not scoring runs, you're going to be under the spotlight. But all of a sudden David Warner leaves. And then Usman Khawaja leaves. And then Steve Smith."
"If Marnus isn't playing well, you've got a huge gap there because Travis Head bats down the order. So he's actually a very, very important link in this chain here. If I was the Australian team, I'd be focusing – and I'm sure they are – all their attention on getting Marnus to come good in however that is," Langer said to reporters.
After the WTC final loss, Australia head coach, Andrew McDonald, insisted that Labuschagne was still in their plans for the future, though he did mention at what point they stop picking the right-handed batter.
"You think about the history of Australian cricket. The best young players come in surrounded by absolute guns. Michael Clarke, Ricky Ponting, Damien Martyn and Matthew Hayden. They come in and they're around gun players. If you just all of a sudden bring a couple of kids in, Cameron Green's still young to the game."
"And you have to bring another kid in there (to replace Labuschagne). Sam Konstas, he played a few Tests, right? I think he's only got two first-class hundreds at the moment. And they were both in the same game."
"I say this with absolute respect, but these new guys coming in, they're not averaging 50 (in first-class cricket). These other guys coming through, you've got to be smacking the door down. You can't just bring them in an Ashes series," concluded Langer.
India's 2011 World Cup hero, Yuvraj Singh, congratulated South Africa in style - while also taking a playful jab at Australia - after the Proteas ended their 27-year ICC trophy drought with a memorable five-wicket win in the World Test Championship (WTC) final at Lord's.
Taking to social media platform X, Yuvraj praised South Africa's grit and leadership, while also humorously needling Australia, who were aiming to defend their WTC crown.
"The class of 2025 ends a 27-year wait and lifts the ICC World Test Championship Trophy in style! Huge congrats to the @ProteasMenCSA on a historic win at Lord's,” Yuvraj wrote.
“I've always believed there's no greater measure of resilience and character than Test cricket, and South Africa rose to the occasion! #AidenMarkram's century was pure class. @KagisoRabada25, @marcojansen2000 and @NgidiLungi brought relentless intensity and #TembaBavuma led with calm and courage. A final worthy of the format. Tough luck #Australia! You know it's okay to let go of one trophy #WTCFinal,” the all-rounder added.
The post quickly gained traction, with fans applauding both Yuvraj's humour and the Proteas' long-awaited triumph. For South Africa, it wasn't just a win — it was a redemptive statement on the biggest stage of Test cricket.
Australia need to look in the mirror. You can't make excuses for out-of-form players. It would be best to allow other players to step in. They can't consistently pick those who don't perform their roles to the fullest. If this trend continues, Australia will find themselves in big trouble and find themselves relinquishing the urn to England.
Meanwhile, on the South African side, it's all about the unity. After 27 years of losing ICC knockout matches, which includes: 2 quarterfinals; 12 semifinals and 1 final, the South African senior men's cricket team can finally call themselves champions.
After generations of disappointment and heartbreak, South Africa shrugged off the tag that has long haunted them with victory in the World Test Championship here. For years, they have been smeared as chokers, but no more.
“While we were batting we could hear the Aussies using that dreaded word: "choke," said Temba Bavuma, the South Africa captain. "We came in with a lot of belief and a lot of doubters. We got ourselves into the final, there were doubters as to the route we took. This win squashes that. Here’s an opportunity for us as a nation, divided as we are, to unite."
Aiden Markram, who scored a match-changing 136 before falling six runs from victory, said the result had redefined South Africa’s Test team. "It’ll be great to not have to hear that again," he said of being labelled chokers. "To have got the job done and to get rid of that is quite a big thing for this team. All the questions that have been asked in the past have now been answered."
Bavuma, who scored 66 in the second innings, much of it while struggling with a hamstring injury, said he hoped the triumph would unify his nation. "The word that comes to mind is special: special for this group, special for myself and special for the country."
"As a country, it’s a chance for us to rejoice in something, to forget about our issues and really come together. I hope it inspires and continues to inspire our country. For this group of players, there were a lot of doubters but the way we played would have wiped all of that out."
"The experiences I’ve had in the last couple of years, it hasn’t been easy. It’s not easy being captain of South Africa and all the sacrifices, all the disappointment, it feels worth it. When you’re going through it, giving up is always an option but something kind of wills you on. For me, it was that moment there. To be recognised as more than just a Black African cricketer, but to be seen as someone who’s done something the country has wanted."
While there was tears of joy from some of the winning team during their celebrations, Markram’s had come the previous evening; when with victory starting to seem not just achievable but inevitable, he sealed his century. "I was pretty emotional," he said.
"From about quarter past five the game slowed down. I had a bit of time to look around and see all the fans, my family, all my mates that were there, to look up at the changing room. And then I was like: 'Yes. We’re here now. We’re getting close.' It caught me off guard. It’s been a bit of a rollercoaster."
The Proteas won a first ICC title since 1998, following a 5-wicket victory over Australia in the World Test Championship final played at Lord's in London. South Africa has suffered heartache at previous tournament, resulting in many referring to the team as 'chokers'.
In sports psychology, choking has been defined as:
An acute and considerable decrease in skill execution and performance when self-expected standards are normally achievable, which is the result of increased anxiety under perceived pressure performance decline when highly motivated individuals are subjected to pressure.
The opposite to choking is a clutch performance. This can be defined as improved or maintained performance under pressure. Some of the contributing characteristics of clutch performances are confidence, complete and deliberate focus, automatic movements and the absence of negative thoughts.
Bavuma, in the post-match interview, recounted how team-mate Aiden Markram embodied those clutch qualities, calmly telling Bavuma after every over: Lock in and give them nothing.
In interviews, Proteas coach, Shukri Conrad, stressed how calm the players were. He pointed out Markram and Bavuma for their poise and reliability under pressure, another defining trait of expert performers.
Conrad emphasised the importance of removing distraction by telling them to, "play the conditions" and not the situation. This allows players to focus on the moment and not be overwhelmed by the broader context of the match.
The calm and composed demeanour of Bavuma and Markram as they prepared to face the barrage of deliveries during their match-defining partnership also relates to a phenomenon scientists refer to as the, "quiet eye."
The quiet eye is the period of visual fixation or visual tracking of the body cues of the bowler and the early ball flight trajectory before the execution of a motor task. It’s been associated with superior performance under pressure.
Bavuma and Markram were able to sustain long periods of quiet eye while processing critical information from the bowlers’ action and early ball path, while remaining focused on task-relevant cues, all the while blocking out anxiety-related distractions.
Conrad succeeded because he was able to combine cultural wisdom and emotional intelligence to truly transform the psychology and ability of the Proteas team. His philosophy of selection, "character first then matching up the skill," pays tribute to his vision of peaking when it counts – a quality lacking in Proteas teams of the past.
When Conrad was first appointed as Proteas coach, he made two big decisions. He selected Bavuma as captain and he recalled a struggling test batter, Markram. Conrad explained:
"Obviously Temba, a quiet leader, leads from the back, but certainly from the front with the bat … Aiden Markram was always going to be my opening bat. He always delivers on the big stage."
The vision of Conrad to appoint Bavuma as captain has resulted in a record 8 successive test wins. In the winning match, Bavuma led from the front and held firm. He was up to the task with the bat and despite suffering a hamstring injury during the game, was able to join forces with Markram in the fourth innings to set up a match-winning third wicket partnership of 143 runs.
Three of the most experienced players for South Africa in test matches, Bavuma, Markram and Kagiso Rabada, stood out as true champions in this final. Markram scored a match-winning 136 runs in the fourth innings, while Rabada laid the foundation for victory by taking a decisive nine wickets.
For the first time in 26 years, the senior Proteas players all stepped up when it mattered most to secure a world championship. Conrad bore testimony to this in the post-match interview: "When our two senior pros in Aiden and Temba put that big stand together, I felt that is obviously where the game was won for us."
The Proteas’ victory on 14 June 2025 lifted a 27-year choker curse. With the visionary leadership of Conrad and the composed stewardship of Bavuma, the Proteas revealed that mental clarity, cultural cohesion and emotional intelligence were key to their success. The "chokers" tag is buried beneath the turf of the "home of cricket."
In many ways, the victory by captain Temba Bavuma was not just for this generation, but for all those who have played their part in the Proteas jersey. Various former players were present at Lord’s and shared in the delight of seeing their team on top of the world.
Cricket South Africa (CSA) Chief Executive Officer, Pholetsi Moseki, led the congratulations for the team, paying tribute to the team’s character and all those who have supported them on the journey.
"I can’t think of a team more deserving of this WTC Mace. This team has displayed remarkable tenacity and strength over the past two years," Moseki noted. "This occasion holds immense significance in the world of sport and cricket. It is a tribute not only to the current squad, but also to those who paved the way before them."
Moseki also pointed out that this victory belonged to the team, legends, the people of south Africa and all those inspired to take up the game by this remarkable victory.
When Kyle Verreynne struck the winning runs, it sparked wild celebrations for the team and their strong showing of support at Lord’s. A hallmark of all four days has been the distinctly South African flavour around the ground, with songs, flags and national jerseys prominent in the stands.
The team has also been overwhelmed by constant messages of encouragement from back home, especially during a match where the momentum swung wildly over the first two days.
CSA Director of National Teams and High Performance, Enoch Nkwe, commended the team for their unwavering commitment. "This moment is a reminder that no dream is too distant, no challenge insurmountable and no legacy too heavy to carry forward," Nkwe saluted.
"I commend the unwavering commitment demonstrated by each player, both on and off the field. Reaching this milestone, coupled with remarkable key performances, will undoubtedly be etched into the history books," Nkwe added.
Indeed, it is an eighth consecutive Test victory for Bavuma and his team, notched on four different continents. It is a testament to their adaptability and character, and collective talents that have found a solution for every question thrown at them over the past two years of the WTC cycle.
That adaptability is emphasised by a look at each of the men in the squad for the WTC final. Every one of them had a telling contribution on the road to glory, each man earning their winning medal.
While breaking the ICC drought is justifiable cause for celebration, this team is determined to ensure that the road doesn’t end with this final. Indeed, much like London buses, they are keen to ensure that after the long wait for an ICC trophy, two arrive in quick succession.
The ICC ODI World Cup, to be hosted in South Africa, is now less than two years away. Many of the men who did duty on the road to Test glory also form the foundation of coach Shukri Conrad’s white-ball plans.
“The next time we see Shukri and his team, we will welcome them as the ICC World Test Champions!” Nkwe declared.
Before that welcome, the team may well have to pass through O.R Tambo International Airport customs, so that they can declare a rather significant piece of international history that they are bringing back into the country.
I have always believed that sport has the ability to unite people. The Springboks proved that and now the Proteas has proven it. With the chokers tag now dead and buried, I can only hope that this win leads to more success and trophies.