With the iconic Lord's to host the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) Final starting June 11, Australian batsman Marnus Labuschagne has talked about the condition of Test cricket and has identified that it is a format that's in good shape.

With Australia to play South Africa, Labuschagne's birth nation, the right-hander is looking forward to taking his side to another title. Labuschagne feels the WTC two-year cycle has injected new life into Test cricket by providing significance to each match and series.

Here is what he said as quoted by The Tribune

“It is an exciting tournament. It means every Test you play has something on it, it brings all the countries into play, and anyone can make the final. It’s exciting to play in, you’re playing for a trophy at the end of a two-year cycle. I think it has worked great. Two years ago, when we beat India, it was awesome. I’m looking at it from a player’s perspective and it looks like the game is in a great place," 

Australia, won WTC for the first time in 2023 after beating India by 209 runs at The Oval, is now seeking to retain it. While for Labuschagne, this version is not all about trophies but something about elevating the standards of the longest version.

“Every time Test cricket is on, people want to watch it. India, Australia and England are probably carrying a bit of the load of Test cricket, but we really want to see all the countries keep producing great players and being part of upholding such an amazing tradition of Test cricket. I love playing with the guys here, they are close friends, and I love the environment at the club,” he added.

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The 30-year-old had a brilliant beginning to his Test career, such as being the game's first concussion substitute ever in the 2019 Ashes at Lord's, but his batting in the ongoing WTC cycle has taken a slump. He has managed just 28.33 average with one hundred.

“The benefit of having a relationship with the club for six years is that you have the perks of being able to call the director of cricket and say: ‘This is what it looks like, is there a chance we can line this up. Without that relationship, there might be some hesitancy, or you might not get someone in for two games. But that’s the benefit of the long-term commitment I have shown over the last six years," he further added.

The other than Labuschagne, all-rounder and Beau Webster have also been playing in England's domestic competition, Green for Warwickshire and Webster for Gloucestershire. The three are set to benefit from their County experience in the final to come.