Out-of-form Australia batter Marnus Labuschagne, on Thursday, adapted the India's Perth plan in a bid to bounce back to form in the second Test match of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series, which will be played at the Adelaide Oval on December 6. Labuschagne also broke silence on the barrage of criticism he has faced over his string of poor shows in Test cricket.

In the first 32 matches of his career, Labuschagne scored 3071 runs at 59.05, with 10 centuries and 13 fifties. It was on the back of this run that the Aussie rose to the top ranking spot in Test cricket. However, since the start of 2023, he scored just one century in 19 matches, amassing only 1048 runs to average 31.75.

Despite a valiant knock of 90 in New Zealand earlier this year in February, is third fifty-plus score in 2024, questions were raised on Marnus Labuschagne form, who returned with scores of just 2 and 3 against India in Perth.

Experts and veterans have urged the Australian selectors to drop the 30-year-old from the squad and ask him to return to domestic cricket, but it is more likely that Labuschagne might just have one more chance to go, given his record in Adelaide.

With almost a week left before the Pink Ball Test, Labuschagne was spotted in a secret training session in Queensland, where he joined the Bulls in a lengthy batting session, according to a report in The West Australian. The Aussie batter spent close to an hour-and-a-half in the nets at the Allan Border Field, where he faced a variety of batters, batted in three different nets and also faced throw-downs from Queensland coach Johan Botha.

Labuschagne breaks silence on criticism

Following the nets session, the Aussie spoke to Channel 7, admitted that he got to score runs, not only to keep his place in the squad, but also to help his team recover after the humiliation in Perth.

“It’s no different to my normal preparation,” he said. “I’m always training hard, always trying to find that right rhythm and that right space to be in. We’ve got about eight days until the Test ... so unfortunately it doesn’t matter until we roll out on that Day 1 wicket.”

Contrary to how he looked at Perth against the fiery Indian attack, Labuschagne looked more confident at the nets on Thursday with his strokeplay.

“It’s always tough when you lose a game for Australia,” he said. “That’s your job as a batter... we’ve got to score runs and I’ve got to score runs. That’s our job ... and if we’re not doing that and not winning tests, that’s not good, is it?”

Labuschagne would be raring to return to Adelaide, where he holds a good batting record, having plummeted 574 runs in nine innings at 71.75, with three tons and a fifty. If he fails to perform in the Pink Ball Test, he might be dropped from the Australian Test side and miss the chance to play in front of his home crowd in Brisbane.

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