Australia star batter Marnus Labuschagne has paid the price for poor form. Cricket Australia has left him out of the selection frame for the upcoming four-match Test series against New Zealand. Selection committee chairman George Bailey confirmed this on Monday. The decision is being seen as a major setback for 32-year-old Labuschagne, who was once the world’s No. 1 batter in Test cricket.
The Test series against New Zealand will begin on December 9 in Perth. Although Australia has not yet announced the full squad, Bailey has made it clear that Labuschagne will not be considered for any match in this series. The selectors’ decision comes after his continued poor run.
Labuschagne scored only 131 runs in six innings in the recent three-Test series against South Africa. His last Test century came in the 2023 Ashes series. Since then, he has gone 49 consecutive innings without a hundred. In his last 10 Test matches, his average has also fallen to 23.66. In the ICC Test batting rankings, he has slipped to joint 40th place.
Chance to regain form in Sheffield Shield
Labuschagne will now be seen captaining Queensland in domestic cricket. He will get an opportunity to regain form by performing well in the Sheffield Shield. George Bailey said there was no doubt about Labuschagne’s ability and the path remained open for his return in the future. Before next year’s tours of India and England, he can win back the selectors’ confidence.
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