Latest news with #Australi
The Advertiser
a day ago
- Sport
- The Advertiser
Langer wants Labuschagne to stay for sake of youth
Justin Langer has urged Australia to stick with Marnus Labuschagne in the top order, warning the next generation could be set up to fail if he is dropped. Labuschagne's spot has come under intense scrutiny following Australia's World Test Championship final loss, after he was moved up to open against South Africa. Scores of 17 and 22 extended his century drought to almost 24 months, averaging just 27.82 in the two-year Test Championship window. Australia coach Andrew McDonald insisted after Labuschagne remained a big part of the future, but questioned at what point they stop picking the right-hander. It was in Langer's stint as coach that he handed Labuschagne his Test debut in 2018, with the Queenslander rising to the top of the world batting rankings by the end of 2021. And Langer said it was vital Labuschagne remains in the team, given the top order are in the middle of a transition with Usman Khawaja aged 38 and Steve Smith 36. "Marnus is a 50-Test player. He's been the best player in the world. He still averages (46.19)," Langer said, while watching NSW prepare for State of Origin in Perth. "All players go through it. If you're not scoring runs, you're going to be under the spotlight. "But all of a sudden David Warner leaves. And then Usman Khawaja leaves. And then Steve Smith. "If Marnus isn't playing well, you've got a huge gap there because Travis Head bats down the order. So he's actually a very, very important link in this chain here. "If I was the Australian team, I'd be focusing – and I'm sure they are – all their attention on getting Marnus to come good in however that is." Labuschagne is expected to move back down to No.3 for Australia's looming Tests against West Indies, with Sam Konstas an option to open and Steve Smith in doubt. Nathan McSweeney was also blooded last summer, while Australia have indicated they see Cameron Green as a top-order batter. Australia have one eye on this summer's Ashes, with Josh Inglis also remaining in the squad after a century on debut in Sri Lanka earlier this year. But Langer said it was crucial for the next generation that Labuschagne remained in the team alongside whatever young players come in. "You think about the history of Australian cricket. The best young players come in surrounded by absolute guns," Langer said. "Michael Clarke, Ricky Ponting, Damien Martyn and Matthew Hayden. They come in and they're around gun players. "If you just all of a sudden bring a couple of kids in, Cameron Green's still young to the game. And you have to bring another kid in there (to replace Labuschagne). "Sam Konstas, he played a few Tests, right? I think he's only got two first-class hundreds at the moment. And they were both in the same game. "I say this with absolute respect, but these new guys coming in, they're not averaging 50 (in first-class cricket). "These other guys coming through, you've got to be smacking the door down. You can't just bring them in an Ashes series." Justin Langer has urged Australia to stick with Marnus Labuschagne in the top order, warning the next generation could be set up to fail if he is dropped. Labuschagne's spot has come under intense scrutiny following Australia's World Test Championship final loss, after he was moved up to open against South Africa. Scores of 17 and 22 extended his century drought to almost 24 months, averaging just 27.82 in the two-year Test Championship window. Australia coach Andrew McDonald insisted after Labuschagne remained a big part of the future, but questioned at what point they stop picking the right-hander. It was in Langer's stint as coach that he handed Labuschagne his Test debut in 2018, with the Queenslander rising to the top of the world batting rankings by the end of 2021. And Langer said it was vital Labuschagne remains in the team, given the top order are in the middle of a transition with Usman Khawaja aged 38 and Steve Smith 36. "Marnus is a 50-Test player. He's been the best player in the world. He still averages (46.19)," Langer said, while watching NSW prepare for State of Origin in Perth. "All players go through it. If you're not scoring runs, you're going to be under the spotlight. "But all of a sudden David Warner leaves. And then Usman Khawaja leaves. And then Steve Smith. "If Marnus isn't playing well, you've got a huge gap there because Travis Head bats down the order. So he's actually a very, very important link in this chain here. "If I was the Australian team, I'd be focusing – and I'm sure they are – all their attention on getting Marnus to come good in however that is." Labuschagne is expected to move back down to No.3 for Australia's looming Tests against West Indies, with Sam Konstas an option to open and Steve Smith in doubt. Nathan McSweeney was also blooded last summer, while Australia have indicated they see Cameron Green as a top-order batter. Australia have one eye on this summer's Ashes, with Josh Inglis also remaining in the squad after a century on debut in Sri Lanka earlier this year. But Langer said it was crucial for the next generation that Labuschagne remained in the team alongside whatever young players come in. "You think about the history of Australian cricket. The best young players come in surrounded by absolute guns," Langer said. "Michael Clarke, Ricky Ponting, Damien Martyn and Matthew Hayden. They come in and they're around gun players. "If you just all of a sudden bring a couple of kids in, Cameron Green's still young to the game. And you have to bring another kid in there (to replace Labuschagne). "Sam Konstas, he played a few Tests, right? I think he's only got two first-class hundreds at the moment. And they were both in the same game. "I say this with absolute respect, but these new guys coming in, they're not averaging 50 (in first-class cricket). "These other guys coming through, you've got to be smacking the door down. You can't just bring them in an Ashes series." Justin Langer has urged Australia to stick with Marnus Labuschagne in the top order, warning the next generation could be set up to fail if he is dropped. Labuschagne's spot has come under intense scrutiny following Australia's World Test Championship final loss, after he was moved up to open against South Africa. Scores of 17 and 22 extended his century drought to almost 24 months, averaging just 27.82 in the two-year Test Championship window. Australia coach Andrew McDonald insisted after Labuschagne remained a big part of the future, but questioned at what point they stop picking the right-hander. It was in Langer's stint as coach that he handed Labuschagne his Test debut in 2018, with the Queenslander rising to the top of the world batting rankings by the end of 2021. And Langer said it was vital Labuschagne remains in the team, given the top order are in the middle of a transition with Usman Khawaja aged 38 and Steve Smith 36. "Marnus is a 50-Test player. He's been the best player in the world. He still averages (46.19)," Langer said, while watching NSW prepare for State of Origin in Perth. "All players go through it. If you're not scoring runs, you're going to be under the spotlight. "But all of a sudden David Warner leaves. And then Usman Khawaja leaves. And then Steve Smith. "If Marnus isn't playing well, you've got a huge gap there because Travis Head bats down the order. So he's actually a very, very important link in this chain here. "If I was the Australian team, I'd be focusing – and I'm sure they are – all their attention on getting Marnus to come good in however that is." Labuschagne is expected to move back down to No.3 for Australia's looming Tests against West Indies, with Sam Konstas an option to open and Steve Smith in doubt. Nathan McSweeney was also blooded last summer, while Australia have indicated they see Cameron Green as a top-order batter. Australia have one eye on this summer's Ashes, with Josh Inglis also remaining in the squad after a century on debut in Sri Lanka earlier this year. But Langer said it was crucial for the next generation that Labuschagne remained in the team alongside whatever young players come in. "You think about the history of Australian cricket. The best young players come in surrounded by absolute guns," Langer said. "Michael Clarke, Ricky Ponting, Damien Martyn and Matthew Hayden. They come in and they're around gun players. "If you just all of a sudden bring a couple of kids in, Cameron Green's still young to the game. And you have to bring another kid in there (to replace Labuschagne). "Sam Konstas, he played a few Tests, right? I think he's only got two first-class hundreds at the moment. And they were both in the same game. "I say this with absolute respect, but these new guys coming in, they're not averaging 50 (in first-class cricket). "These other guys coming through, you've got to be smacking the door down. You can't just bring them in an Ashes series."
Indian Express
13-05-2025
- Sport
- Indian Express
‘I don't think Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma will play 2027 ODI World Cup': Sunil Gavaskar
The Indian cricket has been pressed hard into a huge transition over the course of one week with stalwarts Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma announcing their retirements ahead of the five-match Test tour to England in June. Following Rohit who quit the longest format last week, Kohli dropped the bombshell announcement on Monday, ending his career with 9230 runs in 123 Tests. While both Kohli and Rohit have committed themselves to hold on in the ODI format, India batting legend Sunil Gavaskar feels that India's superstar duo will not make it to the next Cricket World Cup in late 2027. The veteran batters were integral to India's Champions Trophy triumph in March this year in Dubai, with Kohli top-scoring in the semi-final against Australi and Rohit leading the charge against New Zealand with his blazing 76, deeming him Player-of-the-Match. With India's red-ball squad moving into transition, Gavaskar feels that Rohit and Kohli's futures in the 50-overs format depends entirely on how the team management and selectors' perspective. 'They have been massive performers in this format of the game. Again, the selection committee will probably be looking at the 2027 World Cup. They will be looking at whether they will be able to be in the team for the 2027 World Cup?' Will they be able to make the kind of contributions they have been making?' That will be the thought process of the selection committee. If the selection committee thinks 'yes, they can', then both of them will be there for that,' Gavaskar told in a chat with Sports Today. Candid in his admission, Gavaskar said that he could not foresee the two prolific batters making it to the next iteration of the World Cup. 'No, I don't think they will be playing. I am being very honest. But, who knows, in the next year or so, if they strike a rich vein of form, and if they keep scoring hundreds and hundreds, even God can't drop them,' Gavaskar stressed.
The National
24-04-2025
- Business
- The National
IEA warns critical mineral supply is new threat to energy security
Protecting the supply of critical minerals that are vital to the renewables market is an emerging threat to energy security, the head of the International Energy Agency warned on Thursday. Dr Fatih Birol told a high-level conference on global energy security that while the threat to fossil fuel supplies - either through wars, environmental disasters or sabotage - remained a major risk to global trade, there were also concerns over the concentration of critical minerals to just a few countries. Hosted by the British government and the International Energy Agency, the two-day summit brings together government ministers from 60 countries, senior European Union officials, energy sector CEOs and heads of international organisations to assess risks to the global energy system and figure out solutions. Dr Birol stressed the crucial role of critical minerals in the 'remarkable story of the very strong expansion of clean advanced energy technologies' in recent years, which meant that 85 per cent of all new power plants in 2024 were either solar, wind or hydropower with another five per cent nuclear. Furthermore, one in four cars sold in the world were electric and that figure was only going to grow. But that in itself was creating a 'problem', he said. 'To manufacture this new clean energy technologies, you need critical minerals,' he said. 'We look at where the critical minerals are produced, where they are refined and where they are manufactured, that is a huge concentration, and this is something that we think is risky.' The world's top critical mineral producers are China, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Australia, Chile, Indonesia and to a lesser extent America. On Thursday, Australi announced an initial investment of $763 million to set up a strategic reserve of critical minerals as it looks to create a separate supply chain in a market dominated by China. With the threat of conflict or climate change, this concentration of the raw materials in a handful of countries was a 'risky business', said Dr Birol, and one that the IEA considered 'a new emerging energy security challenge'. It was also the reason why it had set up a critical minerals programme. Therefore global powers had 'to be frank to ourselves' and recognise there were now two energy security risks with the minerals but also oil and gas, that 'will remain as part of the energy mix for years to come'. Tommy Joyce, US acting assistant secretary of energy for international affairs, told participants they should be 'honest about the world's growing energy needs, not focused on net-zero politics.' He called policies that push for clean power over fossil fuels "harmful and dangerous," and claimed building wind turbines requires "concessions to or coercion from China" because it supplies necessary rare minerals. The conference, that has representatives from 60 countries attending, was opened by UK Energy Secretary Ed Miliband, who shared a surprise message from King Charles III that the monarch had asked him to read out. 'As we all navigate the transition to cleaner energy for our planet and energy security for our citizens, summits such as these are vital for facilitating shared learning between nations, particularly those in the global south and across the Commonwealth,' the king said. Likely referring to the energy shock from Russia's invasion of Ukraine, he stated that 'events in recent years' had demonstrated that sustainable energy could lead to 'more resilient and secure energy systems'. With Britain leading the way in wind energy – it has three of the world's top five largest wind farms - Mr Miliband emphasised that the push for renewables meant that clean power was 'about energy security as much as fighting climate change'. 'As long as energy can be weaponised against us, our countries and our citizens are vulnerable and exposed,' he said. Britain's approach to becoming a low carbon power was 'a route to energy security.' 'Low carbon energy can play a critical role in delivering energy security for many countries around the world, and it presents a solution to the issue of energy security that simply wasn't true a decade-and-a-half ago,' he added.
