Marnus ready to roll
Labuschagne determined to make most of his second chance
CRICKET: Recalled Test allrounder Marnus Labuschagne insists his confidence hasn’t been dented after being dropped and he can help Australia salvage a drawn series against India.
Labuschagne will make his return to the Test arena at the SCG tomorrow when Australia faces India in the fourth and final match of the series.
The visitors hold a 2-1 lead after beating Australia by 137 runs in the Boxing Day Test at the MCG.
The loss has prompted national selectors to thrust Queensland’s Labuschagne into the team, with his handy leg spin likely to prove valuable on a turning SCG wicket.
South African-born Labuschagne, 24, made his Test debut in the October series against Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates but was dropped after two matches and not included in the original squad to face India.
The axing was not overly surprising given his top score in four innings was 43 and he registered just two half-centuries for the Bulls in the first five matches of the Sheffield Shield season.
Labuschagne however insists he will pull on the baggy green again with confidence.
“It’s never great to be dropped but it’s part of professional sport ... it’s really about how you come back from those setbacks,” he said.
“I made sure I was really positive with my body language and how I was going playing for Queensland and really enjoying that.
“I was trying to get wins on the board for Queensland with bat and ball and contribute where I could.”
Labuschagne’s Test scores improved with every innings and he took seven wickets against Pakistan at 22.42.
He was dismissed for a duck in his first dig then notched 13, 25 and 43 against Pakistan, including an infamous run-out where he seemingly watched the ball hit his stumps at the non-striker’s end.
Labuschagne said he has regrets from his first taste of Test cricket and is determined to make sure that doesn’t happen again, especially with a Gabba Test against Sri Lanka to follow later this month.
“You always wish you had some moments again, that’s sport,” he said.
“You wish you could have that ball back, that over back, that dismissal back.
“It’s about how you back up after those if you’ve had a couple of bad ones.
“I was building in the last Test I played. My batting was in a good space and I was contributing with the ball.
“I probably lacked a little bit of experience really in those big pressure situations.”