Humbled Australia believe Marnus Labuschagne still has a "big future" but have failed to guarantee his spot following two years of underwhelming performances.
A day after captain Pat Cummins acknowledged Australia will undergo a "reset" following another top-order capitulation, coach Andrew McDonald addressed the team's batting woes.
Having not lost an ICC final since 2010, Australia were upstaged by Temba Bavuma's fighting South Africans at Lord's, with a five-wicket defeat crushing their hopes of defending the World Test Championship title they won in 2023.
In the second innings, only plucky knocks from star quick Mitchell Starc and wicketkeeper Alex Carey saved the No.1-ranked team from utter embarrassment.
Promoted from No.3 to open in a Test for the first time, struggling Labuschagne got starts, but ultimately only made 17 and 22 to extend his century drought to almost 24 months.
In the recently completed two-year WTC window, Labuschagne averaged just 27.82.
"He's a big part of the future of the team," McDonald said.
"Anyone that averages (46.19) in Test cricket at that age (30) is important.
"We've got older players there that are closer to the end than the start.
"If he can get his game in good order for the next four or five years, he can underpin that batting order, but at the moment, he'd be disappointed with the returns.
"We're confident that he could return to his best, hence why we keep picking him, and it's at what point do we stop picking him?
"There's no harder worker than Marnus, and now it's really just about the returns."
Labuschagne's opening partner, 38-year-old Usman Khawaja, was again exposed against express pace after falling to Proteas spearhead Kagiso Rabada for 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.
"He gives us stability at his best at the top and, and we like to look at our players at their best," McDonald said of Khawaja.
"A couple of failures here, and people then start to talk about, 'Maybe it's the end, maybe it's the end'.
"I don't see an end date with the way he's training."
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, 26, was the only member of the Australian XI in his 20s in this Test.
But after suffering a compound dislocation of his right little finger at Lord's, star No.4 Steve Smith is almost no chance to play in at least the first Test against the West Indies.
Smith will travel to Caribbean, but will be required to keep his finger in a splint for up to eight weeks.
The wound should heal in two weeks, and he could play sooner than initially thought if he can tolerate wearing a splint while batting.
Teenage tyro 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 Usman Khawaja.
"He'll be right in the window," McDonald said of Konstas.
"He was a big discussion leading into this Test match.
"We need to bed down that opening combination. We've had a bit of musical chairs there, so now might be the time."
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 to add to his two Tests.
This AAP article was made possible by support from Amazon Prime Video, which broadcast the World Test Championship final.
