Australia head coach Andrew McDonald has implored Marnus Labuschagne to be more proactive in his search for runs after the No.3’s approach in the first Test sparked concerns he had allowed himself to be a sitting duck for India.
Labuschagne had his second-worst return in a Test match in Perth, making two off 52 balls in the first innings before being trapped in front for three by Jasprit Bumrah to a ball he tried to leave in the second.
Asked if Australia would stick with the same top six – Nathan McSweeney, Usman Khawaja, Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head and Mitch Marsh – in Adelaide, McDonald said: “The same people in that changeroom are the same people that will be in Adelaide.”
When asked if Josh Inglis, the squad’s spare batsman, could come into the team, McDonald replied: “We’ll assess that as we go along, but as I said, the squad that’s in there 1732605254, they’ll be in Adelaide.”
Labuschagne, Australia’s regular first drop since 2019, has made just one Test century in his past 41 innings, averaging 30 in that time.
“When we’ve seen him at his best, he’s shown great intent at the crease,” McDonald said. “That’s an ongoing discussion and that ebbs and flows in players’ careers. At the moment he’s in one of those patches and no doubt he’ll be getting critiqued externally.
Marnus Labuschagne is under pressure to retain his spot. Credit: Getty Images
“Internally we’re really confident that, at his best, he’s the player that we need. We’re really confident he can turn that around.”
The other concern for Australia is McSweeney, who endured a baptism of fire on his Test debut, making 10 and 0 at the top of the order in what were his third and fourth innings as an opener in first-class cricket.
