Labuschagne all praise for Indian bowling at Gabba

Brisbane, Jan. 15: A fifth Test hundred in his kitty against a “very disciplined” bowling attack but Australia’s Marnus Labuschagne was still a disappointed man on the opening day of the fourth Test against India here as the knock was not “big” enough for him.

Australia ended the day 274/5, thanks largely to Labuschagne’s 108 off 204 balls. The 26-year-old said he should have done more.

“...I think, I am definitely disappointed not going on and getting a really big score, which would have put us in a better position as a team,” Labuschagne said at the virtual post-play press-conference.

“Any Test century, it doesn’t matter who it is against or against what opposition, you want to make sure you are scoring hundreds and probably for me (it was)

Indian bowling attacks, they are very disciplined and doesn't matter who is bowling, they are very planned, they are very strategic and we saw that today with their bowling attack.

today it was disappointing that (I) did not end up making that a really big hundred,” he stressed.

However, he credited the Indian bowlers for being disciplined early on and hardly giving away any scoring opportunities.

“...Indian bowling attacks, they are very disciplined and doesn’t matter who is bowling, they are very planned, they are very strategic and we saw that today with their bowling attack. They did not give us many of those scoring opportunities in the first session,” the batsman said.

He said he worked to his plan, which was to tire out the bowlers and then pick scoring chances.

“I think when you are playing really good teams, it doesn’t matter who comes in, everyone in that line-up is very disciplined, they understand their role, you know they are very skilled bowlers.

“So, it was sort of a matter of discipline early on, specially in the first session and half, making sure you get yourself in, you get pace of the wicket. So that you can really cash in when the bowlers are little-bit tired and there are a bit cooked, he added.

Labuschagne was facing a relatively new Indian attack and he conceded that he had to make some plans on the run.

— MARNUS LABUSCHAGNE Australian batsman