Labuschagne, from proxy act to the protagonist

WITH THE 126, SCORED UNDER LIGHTS ON FRIDAY, LABUSCHAGNE HAS SURPASSED STEVE SMITH TO BE HIGHEST SCORER FOR THIS YEAR, WITH 793 RUNS

NEWDELHI: What is with this trend of Australian leg-spinners turning into exemplary batsmen? Nine years ago, Steve Smith was unleashed upon an unsuspecting world as a leg-spinner with aweinducing fielding skills. We know how that story unfolded. And now, Marnus Labuschagne’s Test career is following a similar curve as he is set to end the year neck and neck in race with Smith as the highest run scorer. Only in his case it was more obscure.

Five years ago, Labuschagne was the Queensland rookie who had his first brush with fame after scooping up a catch off Varun Aaron’s bat as a substitute fielder at short-leg during the Brisbane Test in 2014. He was mainly a proxy act, making an appearance in the two-test series against Pakistan in the UAE as part legspinner, part batsman. A gritty 38 in the drawn Test against India in Sydney first triggered whispers of Australia finally finding a longterm No 3 prospect.

Usman Khawaja was given a long rope till the selectors ran out of patience during the Ashes in England and dropped him for the fourth Test. By then Labuschagne had made quite a splash, coming in as concussion sub at Lord’s after Steve Smith was hit by a Jofra Archer bouncer, and scoring a resilient 59 that allowed Australia to draw that Test. Since then, Labuschagne’s scores read 74, 80, 67, 11, 48, 14, 185 and 126 (batting). With that last innings, scored under lights on Friday, Labuschagne has surpassed Smith to be highest scorer for this year, with 793 runs.

Trailing by just 15 runs, Smith—yet to bat in Adelaide and probably itching to give it back to Yasir Shah after his seven-finger jibe in Brisbane—is expected to regain his position soon. But let it soak in how an understudy sprang to Australia’s rescue in cricket’s most storied rivalry, cementing his place at the most pivotal batting position and making them believe they need not always rely solely on Smith. Given the turbulent time Australia had to endure without Steve

Smith—losing to Pakistan away and India at home—this comes as a huge relief.

A product of the robust Australian cricket structure, Labuschagne—who had migrated from South Africa at 10—made his way through age-group cricket and emerged as an opener with a copybook technique. His ability to stage a rescue act was apparent during his Sheffield Shield debut when he stood at the nonstriker’s end as South Australia medium-pacer Chadd Sayers took a hattrick to reduce Queensland to 27/3. Labuschagne however grinded his way to 83.

When it seemed his Test career was not going anywhere, Labuschagne chose to play for Glamorgan before the Ashes, scoring 1,114 runs in 18 innings. “We talk about coaching players, there are no more coachable players than him,” Langer had recently said of Labuschagne. But it’s his relationship with Smith that may go on to have a telling effect on Labuschagne’s career. “Probably the most heartening thing is his relationship with Steven Smith, the best player in the world. They spend time, they talk cricket. They love it. Literally all they do is talk cricket,” said Langer.

It must have been a courageous act then, taking Smith’s place at Lord’s, shaking off a stinging Archer bouncer and staying put. “It caught me flush but you just get up and get on with it,” Labuschagne had said later. Pakistan are relatively easier opponents but what sets Labuschagne apart is his willingness to buckle down. “I love fighting hard for runs, it’s fun,” he said on Friday. That is not just a random statement. When a batsman is ready to cop a few blows and happy to play the waiting game, it’s not good news for bowlers.