He has managed just one half-century since Australia’s ODI World Cup triumph in 2023.
Cricket Australia has unveiled the 15-man squad for the upcoming white-ball series against India, comprising three ODIs and as many T20Is. While senior pacer Mitchell Starc makes a return to ODI cricket after nearly a year, Marnus Labuschagne has been left out of the squad.
Australia’s ODI Squad vs India: Mitchell Marsh (capt), Xavier Bartlett, Alex Carey (wk), Cooper Connolly, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis (wk), Mitchell Owen, Matt Renshaw, Matthew Short, Mitchell Starc, and Adam Zampa.
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The omission of Marnus Labuschagne doesn’t come as a huge surprise, given his prolonged dip in form across formats. The right-hand batter has averaged a meagre 21.90, after 241 runs in 17 matches since the ODI World Cup 2023 in India, with just one fifty during the period. His top score in the last 10 ODI innings is 47, underlining his poor consistency. Notably, he was recently dropped from the Test side following Australia’s defeat to South Africa in the World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-2025 Final.
Labuschagne would likely not have featured against South Africa at home had Matt Short, who returned for India ODIs, not been ruled out with a side strain. But the Queensland cricketer failed to grab the opportunity, managing a pair of ones in his two innings.
However, his omission will allow him to push for a Test recall for The Ashes 2025 via strong Sheffield Shield performances, having already started the season with 160 against Tasmania. In Australia’s domestic One-Day Cup, the 31-year-old scored a blistering 92-ball century against Glenn Maxwell’s Victoria to start a new summer on a high. He also claimed a hat-trick for Redlands in the final, leading the side to clinch the T20 Max Competition last month.
Marnus Labuschagne’s Queensland teammate, Matt Renshaw, has benefited from his absence. The left-hander has earned a recall on the back of a superb run in List A cricket. The southpaw hit 305 runs at an average of 50 for Queensland in the Marsh One Day Cup 2024-25. Earlier, he starred for Australia A against Sri Lanka A in Darwin in July, with scores of 80, 106, and 62. He carried the form into the Sheffield Shield, where he smashed a sublime century against Tasmania.
Renshaw was previously called into the ODI squad in Pakistan 2022 as cover, but did not make his debut. The call-up presents him with a golden opportunity to cement his place in the ODI setup as Cricket Australia prepares for a smooth transition ahead of the ODI World Cup 2027.
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The six-time world champions suffered a couple of blows earlier this year, with veterans Marcus Stoinis, Glenn Maxwell, and Steve Smith bidding farewell to ODI cricket. The Champions Trophy 2025 semi-final against India marked the last ODI appearances for Maxwell and Smith. Stoinis announced his retirement before the ICC event despite being named in the squad.
These exits have compelled Australia to explore options to fill the void in the middle order. Labuschagne was once expected to inherit seamlessly from Smith, but his recent form has opened the doors for others. Matt Renshaw’s inclusion, who has been in tremendous form, looks to be a step towards the transition ahead of the next marquee tournament.
The first ODI between India and Australia will begin on October 19 in Perth, while the second ODI is slated for October 23 in Adelaide. The three-match series will conclude on September 25 in Sydney. After the ODI series, India will play five T20Is Down Under.
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