Latest news with #MarnusLabuschagne
Indian Express
a day ago
- Sport
- Indian Express
Why is Marnus Labuschagne ‘happy' to open for Australia in his bid for Test return?
Australian cricketer and former World No. 1 Test batter Marnus Labuschagne, who is looking to make a comeback in the Test team after being dropped ahead of the West Indies series, said he would be 'happy' to open for the national team if that's the way forward for him to return to the side. 'If you had asked me where I prefer to bat, obviously I have batted at three my whole career, but at this stage you don't get a choice,' Labuschagne admitted to News Corp. 'I opened in the World Test Championship final and felt I batted quite well. I got in but did not go on with it. I would be happy to do that (open batting). I would love to. If opener is where I need to bat to be playing in the Test team, that's fine,' he added. Labuschagne has three Sheffield Shield matches at his disposal to prove a point to the selectors. 'It was tough because you never want to be dropped. But almost as soon as their (selectors') words came out my mind shifted straight away to, 'Okay, how am I playing the Ashes … how do I make that happen?',' he said. After being left out of the Australian team, Labuschagne had an opportunity to sit back and reflect on his game. 'This has given me an opportunity to reflect and not having the pressure of the media saying, 'Marnus has got to go'. I mean that's part of the game. There is a tipping point but it's something I thrive on… proving the doubters wrong and being able to find a way. Missing those West Indies Tests gave me the chance to back and think, 'This is where I want to be and this is how I'm going to get there',' he said. Earlier, there were speculations in the Australian press and by the former Australian players that Labuschagne might not make it for the Ashes series owing to poor form, but Steve Smith had then thrown his weight behind the out-of-favour middle-order batsman. 'At his best, he's as good as anyone in the world and I've no doubt he'll get back there. He's actually in a pretty good place. I think I said it after the last game – I thought he batted really well in the World Test Championship Final without going on to make a big score,' Smith had told SEN Radio.
Express Tribune
2 days ago
- Sport
- Express Tribune
Labuschagne plots Ashes return
Dropped Australian Test star Marnus Labuschagne says he is determined to bounce back and prove the doubters wrong, putting his hand up to open in the Ashes series against England. The long-time number three was axed from Australia's Test tour of the West Indies in June and July after a sustained lean spell. In his first comments since, he told The Australian newspaper on Sunday that it may have been a blessing in disguise. "It was tough because you never want to be dropped," the 31-year-old said. "But almost as soon as their (selectors) words came out my mind shifted straight away to, 'Okay, how am I playing the Ashes ... how do I make that happen?'. "This has given me an opportunity to reflect and not having the pressure of the media saying, 'Marnus has got to go'. "There is a tipping point but it's something I thrive on, proving the doubters wrong and being able to find a way. "Missing those West Indies Tests gave me the chance to sit back and think, 'This is where I want to be and this is how I'm going to get there'." The 58-Test veteran was moved from his regular spot at three to open in the World Test Championship final loss to South Africa in June, where he scored 17 and 22 before being dropped. But with his replacement, the teenager Sam Konstas, struggling at the top of the order, Labuschagne said he was ready to give it another crack. "I would be happy to do that – I would love to," he said, with Cameron Green ably filling the number three slot in the West Indies. "If opener is where I need to bat to be playing in the Test team, that's fine. "If you had asked me where I prefer to bat, obviously I have batted at three my whole career, but at this stage you don't get a choice." Labuschagne returns to action for Australia in three home one-dayers against South Africa this month. He will then switch his attention to the Sheffield Shield, hoping to impress selectors enough to earn a recall for the five-Test Ashes series starting in Perth on November 21.
NDTV
2 days ago
- Sport
- NDTV
Marnus Labuschagne "Would Be Happy" On Opening Batting For Australia In Tests
Australia batter, Marnus Labuschagne, has been out of the Aussie Test lineup since the ICC World Test Championship Final 2025 against South Africa, according to the ICC website. Following the final, he was dropped in the West Indies after a considerably poor run in the format, where he's averaged 33.08 since December 2022. Now the batter is ready to return to the international red-ball format and take up the role of an opener in the upcoming Ashes series. "I would be happy to do that [open batting] - I would love to. If opener is where I need to bat to be playing in the Test team, that's fine," Labuschagne said. Opening is not Labuschagne's natural suit, but Cameron Green had an impressive run in seaming conditions at No. 3, which was Labuschagne's older role. Green scored 184 runs in six innings in the West Indies. This might mean that Labuschagne could be asked to try his luck as an opener yet again, and the batter was more than ready to give it a go. "If you had asked me where I prefer to bat, obviously I have batted at three my whole career, but at this stage, you don't get a choice. I opened in the World Test Championship final and felt I batted quite well. I got in but did not go on with it," he added. Labuschagne scored 39 runs over two innings in the final at Lord's, getting starts but failing to convert them. But the batter, who plays three Sheffield Shield games before the Australia home Tests, can still be in consideration, given Sam Konstas' dry run in the West Indies (50 runs from six innings). Labuschagne is still a part of the ODI setup and can feature in the upcoming three-game series against South Africa.
eNCA
2 days ago
- Sport
- eNCA
Dropped Australian Test star Labuschagne plots Ashes return
Dropped Australian Test star Marnus Labuschagne says he is determined to bounce back and prove the doubters wrong, putting his hand up to open in the Ashes series against England. The long-time number three was axed from Australia's Test tour of the West Indies in June and July after a sustained lean spell. In his first comments since, he told The Australian newspaper on Sunday that it may have been a blessing in disguise. "It was tough because you never want to be dropped," the 31-year-old said. "But almost as soon as their (selectors) words came out my mind shifted straight away to, 'Okay, how am I playing the Ashes ... how do I make that happen?'. "This has given me an opportunity to reflect and not having the pressure of the media saying, 'Marnus has got to go'. "There is a tipping point but it's something I thrive on, proving the doubters wrong and being able to find a way. "Missing those West Indies Tests gave me the chance to sit back and think, 'This is where I want to be and this is how I'm going to get there'." The 58-Test veteran was moved from his regular spot at three to open in the World Test Championship final loss to South Africa in June, where he scored 17 and 22 before being dropped. But with his replacement, the teenager Sam Konstas, struggling at the top of the order, Labuschagne said he was ready to give it another crack. "I would be happy to do that -- I would love to," he said, with Cameron Green ably filling the number three slot in the West Indies. "If opener is where I need to bat to be playing in the Test team, that's fine. "If you had asked me where I prefer to bat, obviously I have batted at three my whole career, but at this stage you don't get a choice." Labuschagne returns to action for Australia in three home one-dayers against South Africa this month. He will then switch his attention to the Sheffield Shield, hoping to impress selectors enough to earn a recall for the five-Test Ashes series starting in Perth on November 21.
The Hindu
2 days ago
- Sport
- The Hindu
Labuschagne ‘happy' to turn opener for an Australia Test recall
Marnus Labuschagne is ready to turn into an opener if it means he would return to Australia Test setup. The 31-year-old — despite being in the squad for the recently held West Indies tour — was dropped from the playing XI after featuring in the World Test Championship (WTC) Final in June earlier this year, where Australia lost to South Africa. 'This (being left out) has given me an opportunity to reflect and not having the pressure of the media saying, 'Marnus has got to go',' Labuschagne told News Corp. Since December 2022, Labuschagne, a regular number three, was averaging 33.02 in Tests when he was asked to open in the WTC Final. However, he could only manage 39 runs across two innings at Lord's. 'If you had asked me where I prefer to bat, obviously I have batted at three my whole career, but at this stage you don't get a choice. I opened in the World Test Championship final and felt I batted quite well. I got in but did not go on with it,' he reflected. Australia's next Test assignment — The Ashes — will be at home in November. Labuschagne will be playing three Sheffield Sheild games before the marquee series to give himself the best chance to get a recall. 'I would be happy to do that (open batting) - I would love to. If opener is where I need to bat to be playing in the Test team, that's fine,' he said.
