Perth [Australia], November 20 (ANI): As Australia prepares to take on India during the first Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series at Perth’s Optus Stadium, a batter extremely crucial in deciding the match would be the Aussie number three Marnus Labuschagne, currently ranked at number 10 in Test rankings and considered as the glue of the batting line-up along with Steve Smith, keeping an attacking, high on intensity unit together.
The 30-year-old Labuschagne has not been in the best of form as of late. Since his side’s ICC World Test Championship win in 2023 against India in July, Marnus has gone on to display an average run of form during the next WTC cycle, having made just 653 runs in 12 matches, averaging a sub-par 29.68, with a century and five fifties in 24 innings, with best score of 111.
His century came against arch-rivals England during the Ashes at Manchester in July, more than an year ago.
Since his last Test century, Labuschagne has featured in eight Tests, scoring 347 runs in 16 innings, averaging a disappointing 24.78, with just four fifties to his name, with his best score being 90 against New Zealand at Christchurch this year.
This run of form is disappointing for someone who was the third-highest run-getter during the WTC 2021-23 cycle, with 1,576 runs in 20 matches, averaging over 52, with five centuries and fifties each to his name in 35 innings, with the best score of 204.
As Labuschagne aims to regain his mojo, he could look at the Optus Stadium for inspiration, holding an incredible record at the venue. In three matches here, he has scored 519 runs in six innings, averaging a brilliant 103.80, with three centuries and a fifty to his name. His best score is 204.
This also includes knocks of 204* and 104 against West Indies in the first Test in November 2022, which Australia won.
Can Labuschagne rediscover his accumulating ways and reignite his hunger against the Indian attack? Only time will tell.
After the series opener in Perth on November 22, the second Test, featuring the day-night format, will take place under lights at Adelaide Oval from December 6 to 10.
Fans will then turn their attention to The Gabba in Brisbane for the third Test from December 14 to 18.
The traditional Boxing Day Test, scheduled from December 26 to 30 at Melbourne’s iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground, will mark the series’ penultimate stage.
The fifth and final Test will be held at the Sydney Cricket Ground from January 3 to 7, promising an exciting climax to a highly anticipated series.
India’s squad for Border-Gavaskar Series: Rohit Sharma (c), Jasprit Bumrah (vc), Ravichandran Ashwin, Mohammad Shami, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Shubman Gill, Ravindra Jadeja, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Sarfaraz Khan, Virat Kohli, Prasidh Krishna, Rishabh Pant (wk), KL Rahul, Harshit Rana, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Mohammed Siraj, Washington Sundar.
Australia squad for the first Test: Pat Cummins (c), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitch Marsh, Nathan McSweeney, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc. (ANI)
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