Brisbane [Australia], November 11 (ANI): Australian batter Marnus Labuschagne, axed from the squad for home Test series against New Zealand, flopped on his return for Queensland in red-ball cricket during the Sheffield Shield clash against Tasmania at Brisbane.
Labuschagne, who is eyeing re-discovery of his form and first century in Test cricket since Ashes 2023, could score just 12 in 36 balls with a four before being dismissed by Riley Meredith.
Currently at the time of writing, Queensland, which opted to bat first, is at 150/3, with Jack Clayton (44*) and Hugh Weibgen (4*) at the crease. Hugo Burdon (70 in 148 balls, with nine fours and a six) played a fine knock for Queensland.
Labuschagne has been dropped from Australia's squad for the upcoming crucial four-match ICC World Test Championship series against New Zealand, following a prolonged dip in form in the longest format. He has struggled to deliver consistent performances in recent months, managing just 131 runs across six innings in Australia's recent three-match series against South Africa.
Since his century in July 2023 at Old Trafford, Labuschagne has gone 26 Tests and 49 innings without a Test ton, having made just 1,094 runs at a sub-par average of 24.31, with nine fifties.
Speaking at Gabba ahead of his side's Sheffield Shield clash on Tuesday, the 32-year-old spoke on the pressure that eventually led to his omission from the Test side for the second time in over 12 months. "You are pretty aware as a cricketer ... you use this as an opportunity to step back from the scrutiny, and being under the pump for probably two years now,” Labuschagne told the media on Tuesday, as quoted by Fox Sports.
“You take this opportunity to come back and play for Queensland, enjoy your time here and find ways to win games for Queensland. Score runs, enjoy the games and I think my path back to the Australian team will work itself out."
"I have done it before, and I have got no doubt I will be back there. When? Who knows, but that is the aspiration and desire. Right now, my feet are firmly fixed here with Queensland and doing whatever I can as a captain, batter, in the field and with the ball to help us win games," he continued.
Labuschagne was previously dropped last year from the squad touring West Indies before scoring five centuries across red-ball and white-ball cricket for Queensland in eight innings to get his recall for the Ashes series at home against England.
He also reflected on his batting form, saying that getting seven-odd scores of 30 in the last 10-11 innings is "not someone who is not batting well. It is someone who is making mistakes when they are in".
"A lot of those mistakes potentially are coming from the pressure of having to keep scoring runs and being on the verge of losing my spot. This is an opportunity to step back and do what I have done best, which is assess the situation of the game and do what’s necessary for the team," he continued.
Labuschagne said that when one thinks too much about their performance, their focus strays away from what they need and he cited the reason for his dismissal in South Africa to be "from a lack of clarity on what the team needed — and his own personal battle with scoring runs."
"I am going to score runs, and I am going to miss out some games. Over a long period of being in this limbo, and not doing enough, but just enough, it has taken its toll a little bit. Two 37s in the first game (in South Africa), 39 in the second game, all batting really well ... but once you are in and in that zone, you are rushing that process. That’s not characteristic of me so far," he signed off. (ANI)
Sheffield Shield: Labuschagne flops on domestic return, scores only 12 as search for runs continues
