Marnus Labuschagne Test Future: Dropped for New Zealand Series
Australia's chair of selectors George Bailey said Labuschagne will not be considered for the first Test against New Zealand, or the series. The batter returns to Queensland's Sheffield Shield side after a poor tour of South Africa, though Bailey did not rule out a comeback.
Australia's chair of selectors George Bailey confirmed on Monday that Marnus Labuschagne will not be considered for selection for next month's first Test against New Zealand, settling the batter's Test future for now.
Bailey said the decision followed Labuschagne's poor tour of South Africa. The 32-year-old will return to Queensland's Sheffield Shield side for an extended run at domestic level.
"At this stage we won't be considering Marn for selection for certainly that first Test, but for the New Zealand series," Bailey said.
He said the move should ease pressure on the player. "There's been a lot of speculation around his place in the team, and so I think this gives him a little bit of space and clears up a bit of conjecture as we work through the next round of Shield cricket."
Australia now needs a new No.3 for the opening Test.
Struggles in South Africa
Labuschagne made 131 runs at 21.83 in the series against South Africa. He finished with scores of 0 and 4 in the deciding Test in Cape Town. Australia lost the series 2-1.
In the first innings at Newlands he edged Simon Harmer to slip for a fifth-ball duck. On the final day he avoided a pair by outside-edging a low full toss from Kagiso Rabada for four, then fell lbw two balls later.
He has not scored a Test hundred since the 2023 Ashes, 49 innings ago. He has not made a half-century in his last 16 Test innings, going back to the first innings of the Gabba Test in last summer's Ashes.
Since being recalled for the Ashes, he has averaged 23.66 in 10 Tests, with two fifties from 19 innings.
Door left open
Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting said during the series against Bangladesh in Darwin in August that Labuschagne's spot was "untenable". Selectors backed him for the South Africa tour anyway.
Australian coach Andrew McDonald said before the series ended that the team would have to reassess. "We believed in Marnus for this tour, we'll have to reassess that as we move forward," he said. He added that "there's still a very good cricketer there" who outperforms others at state level.
Bailey did not close the door on a return. "It's still possible, absolutely," he said. "I think we all know how good and how effective Marnus can be at his best."
The selectors will name the Test squad at the end of the next round of Sheffield Shield matches, which begin on Wednesday. The first Test against the Black Caps is at Perth's Optus Stadium on December 9.
"I don't think we've ever ruled anyone out permanently ... and that's no different in this case," Bailey said.
