[WATCH] “Working Hard On My White Ball Game” – Marnus Labuschagne Trains Hard In The Nets

Australian batsman Marnus Labuschagne wasn’t selected in Australia’s initial 18-player squad for the upcoming ODIs against South Africa and India, as well as for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023.

Having seen his World Cup aspirations dashed, Labuschagne is now dedicating himself to improving his skills in white-ball cricket. On Friday, August 25, he used his Instagram account to offer followers a peek at his recent practice session.

Labuschagne provided a caption for the post, stating: “Working hard on my white ball game 🏏.”

While excelling in Test cricket for Australia, Marnus Labuschagne hasn’t been able to replicate his success in shorter formats. Despite being ranked fifth in the ICC Test batting rankings, his performance in limited-overs cricket has not matched that level.

“We just haven’t seen enough of it consistently” – Chief Selector George Bailey Confirmed Marnus Labuschagne’s World Cup Exclusion

 

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Chief Selector George Bailey clarified the rationale for Marnus Labuschagne’s omission from Australia’s ODI squad. Bailey highlighted Labuschagne’s inconsistent performances in white-ball cricket as the key factor. He also mentioned that Labuschagne, aged 29, will have the opportunity to enhance his skills by participating in matches for Australia ‘A’ in the coming times.

In his conversation with journalists, Bailey conveyed: “We know Marnus, at his best, is good enough to hold down a spot in the one-day team, we just haven’t seen enough of it consistently in the role that we’d like him to do. We’ve been really clear with Marnus; he’s going to be part of some Australia A games at the same time so he can focus on some white-ball cricket.”

Marnus Labuschagne last played in an ODI series against India in March this year, but his performance wasn’t remarkable. Despite participating in two innings, he only managed to accumulate 43 runs. The Australian squad will next participate in a T20I series consisting of three matches against South Africa, commencing on August 30 in Durban. Following this, the teams will engage in a five-match ODI series.

Subsequently, Pat Cummins and the team will engage in a three-match ODI series against India in September, preparing for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023.

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