Talking about the ongoing WTC cycle, Labuschagne has batted with a paltry average of 28.33.
Former Australian skipper Aaron Finch reckoned that Marnus Labuschagne could be dropped from the Test team for the first time since 2019, as he has not been able to put pressure on the opposition bowlers. The day is not far when Australian selectors will sit and choose between Labuschagne and Sam Konstas for the World Test Championship final. This battle will be between youth vs experience; while Labuschagne has 11 Test tons, Konstas has been a great talent.
Talking about the ongoing WTC cycle, Labuschagne has batted with a paltry average of 28.33. The kind of form he has had between 2019 to 2022, and considering his current average, no comparison can be made. The last time he reached three figures transpired back in 2023 at the Old Trafford Test. Recently, he also smashed three half-centuries against India.
“It’s a difficult one because Marnus hasn’t scored the runs at No 3, and the way that he’s been playing has probably been the concern for me. I mean, his strike rate has plummeted over the last 18 months. He is not putting any pressure back on the opposition at all. And when you’re batting in that position, you have to be prepared to counterattack at certain times”, Finch told ESPNcricinfo.
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“You can’t just allow the best bowlers in the world to bowl with a new ball at you over and over without forcing their hand a little bit. You’re going to get a good one. We’ve seen wickets around the world have probably been better for fast bowling over the last couple of years, so you can’t afford to just sit there and wait to score.”
Labuschagne was clueless against Jasprit Bumrah when India toured Australia last time. The right-hand batter was batting in Perth and managed to score 2 off 52 balls, then in Brisbane he scored 12 off 52. In the last two years, Labuschagne’s strike rate has been 46.40 compared to his career figure of 51.94.
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