Australia announced their Playing XI for the World Test Championship 2025 Final on Tuesday, and the reigning Test champions have omitted star pacer Scott Boland in favour of legendary pacer Josh Hazlewood, who makes his return to the red-ball set-up for the first time in 2025.

For more than a decade, Australia's holy trinity of Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, and Mitchell Starc have struck fear amongst opposition sides with their impeccable display of fast bowling.

However, in the absence of the above-mentioned three, Scott Boland has proven himself to be more than just a backup, as his figures and stats challenge for an undisputed spot in the Playing XI.

Speaking to the media personnel on Tuesday, Australia skipper Pat Cummins provided clarity on the decision, stating that the side rotate players keeping in mind the 'age factor' and 'workload management'.

"There are some guys where you generally say you've done nothing wrong, don't change a thing, and that's Scott and he's just really unfortunate to miss out," said Pat Cummins.

"The message to Scott is there's a lot of Test matches coming up in the next couple of years, and just because you're in your mid-30s doesn't mean you're missing this Test and that's the last Test of your career," said th Australia skipper.

"I think by having a squad of fast bowlers, hopefully we can extend a lot of careers for an extra couple of years," he added.

Sam Konstats Misses Out On Playing XI Spot

Another big miss will be Sam Konstas, who made a name for himself in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 by dispatching India's Jasprit Bumrah for a couple of boundaries during the Boxing Day Test.

The 19-year-old quickly became a fan favourite, as his unfazed attitude on the pitch against Virat Kohli spoke volumes of his character and confidence.

"Realistically, he's really young, he's got a long career ahead of him. So hopefully, even by not playing, we can show him their learning opportunities," said Pat Cummins.

"Realistically, he's really young, he's got a long career ahead of him. So hopefully, even by not playing, we can show him their learning opportunities," said Pat Cummins.