Marnus Labuschagne's ‘frustrating' first day on the job leaves Pat Cummins with a headache
As Australia marched into the World Test Championship final this week at Lord's, the spotlight turned a little sharper onto the Queenslander's recent output.
Especially after skipper Pat Cummins opted to send him in to face the new ball while desperate for runs.
Labuschagne has averaged just 28.33 across the two-year WTC cycle.
It's a far cry from the prolific heights he once occupied, and now calls to axe him are slowly amplifying.
His experience at No. 3 made it a somewhat logical selection for Pat Cummins to promote him to opener heading to Lord's.
His ability to occupy the crease are, on paper, a captain's dream when looking for an opener.
To his credit, he did a job, of sorts, on Wednesday. Surviving 18 overs of probing swing under moody skies at Lord's isn't a cakewalk.
But it wasn't exactly reassuring for selectors looking to the future. His lack of momentum sparked criticism from the commentary box, as 20 consecutive dot balls sapped the momentum from Australia's innings early on.
'It's quite frustrating to watch,' said former England batsman and Aussie arch-nemesis Kevin Pietersen in commentary.
'He has the ability to hit the ball.'
Even his own captain seemed to gently nudge him toward a more proactive mindset.
'We love when (openers) are busy and they're putting pressure back on the bowlers,' Cummins said. 'That's our message here to Marnus... There's runs to be scored there.'
South African skipper Temba Bavuma also threw a veiled swipe before play this week, suggesting his strike team of seamers could capitalise on the 'opportunity' of having Marnus in a new position while in a slump.
'I think there is an opportunity there,' Bavuma said.
'I think the conditions as well, I believe, bring us into the game a lot. With the swinging ball, (it's) very different to Australian conditions. Different to South African conditions as well, so that definitely gives us an opportunity.'
Towering left-arm quick Marco Jansen took that opportunity just as Labuschagne appeared to get over the initial hurdle, snagging his outside edge and sending him on his way for 17.
Former captain and Marnus' good mate Steve Smith backed up Marnus in front of the press after day one, declaring that he 'looked really sharp'.
That was echoed by former South African superstar AB de Villiers, who suggested the 30-year-old actually looked to be 'in form'.
'I thought he started pretty well today. He looked really sharp in his movements. He left really nicely. He was solid in defence and he played some really good shots,' Smith said.
'So I think it would have been nice (for him) to have gone on and made a few more, as it would have been for all of us out there, but I think we can take some positives on the way he was moving and the way he was playing.'
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