Marnus Labuschagne Gets Lifeline for South Africa Tests

SYDENY: (Sports Desk) – Australia’s chief selector George Bailey has backed out-of-form batter Marnus Labuschagne to make a meaningful contribution during the upcoming Test tour of South Africa, despite his prolonged struggle for runs.

Labuschagne, who bats at No. 3, has not scored a Test century since 2023. His poor form continued during Australia’s recent home series against Bangladesh, where he managed scores of 1, 31 and 4 across two Tests.

The 31-year-old was dropped from Australia’s squads for the limited-overs matches against Zimbabwe and South Africa. However, the selectors retained him for the three-Test series, giving him another opportunity to regain his form in the longer format.

Bailey acknowledged that Australia would like to see more runs from Labuschagne but said the selectors remain confident in his ability to contribute. He also noted that the team’s batting unit as a whole has not performed at the desired level.

When asked whether the South Africa series could be Labuschagne’s final opportunity, Bailey declined to speculate, describing such a scenario as hypothetical.

Australia have named a 16-player squad for the Test series, with Cooper Connolly, Matthew Kuhnemann and Michael Neser added to the group that featured in the Bangladesh Tests.

Young all-rounder Connolly’s inclusion underlines Australia’s long-term plans for the 23-year-old. Bailey said his selection was primarily based on his batting, with the youngster capable of filling several positions in the middle order and potentially batting as high as No. 3.

Kuhnemann has been selected as the second spinner behind veteran Nathan Lyon, while Neser offers additional pace-bowling cover for Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc.

The first Test will be played in Durban from October 9, followed by matches in Gqeberha and Cape Town.

The tour carries added significance as it marks Australia’s first Test series in South Africa since the 2018 ball-tampering scandal. Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon and Matt Renshaw are among the players from that previous tour who remain in the current squad.

Smith was stripped of the captaincy and suspended for 12 months after admitting his involvement in the ball-tampering incident during the Cape Town Test. David Warner, who was also suspended for a year, was regarded as the main instigator and was removed from leadership roles.