Ashes 2025: Issues facing Australia five months out from England visit

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.”