Australia have announced an 18-member provisional squad for ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 slated to be played in less than two months from now. Batter Marnus Labuschagne, who had expressed a desire of participating in the world event in India 12 months ago, has seen a dream breaking in front of his eyes after being left out of the squad.
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Barring Labuschagne, all players from the squad which toured India earlier this year have been retained. With the additions of captain Pat Cummins, pacers Josh Hazlewood and Aaron Hardie and spinner Tanveer Sangha, this squad will also play ODI series in South Africa and India before being trimmed to 15 for the World Cup.
12 Months After Eyeing Spot In Australia’s ICC World Cup 2023 Squad, Marnus Labuschagne Left Out Due To Inconsistency
Labuschagne, who was part of each one of the last nine ODIs played by Australia, has been dropped due to inconsistent form. Speaking to cricket.com.au 12 months ago, Labushchagne revealed how excited he was to play what would’ve been a maiden World Cup for him. However, he was quite honest in admitting that he hadn’t performed as per the expectations.
“I’m really looking forward to being a part of that [ World Cup in India], but I certainly haven’t been performing as well as I want to in one-day cricket. I don’t feel like I’ve nailed [a position] down.”
George Bailey, former Australia captain and current chairman of selectors, also cited Labuschagne’s inconsistency as the reason behind his omission. Even though Labushchagne is still in their white-ball plans, he hasn’t done enough to earn a World Cup spot.
“We know Marnus [Labuschagne] 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,” Bailey said as quoted by ESPNCricinfo.
Since his ODI debut against India in 2020, Labuschagne has scored 847 runs across 28 innings at a below par average of 31.37 comprising one century and six half-centuries.
In the three ODIs that the 29-year old player played last year, he could score just 43 runs with an individual best of 28. In 2021, he scored 331 runs in 14 matches at an average of 25.46. These numbers are certainly not up to the mark for a specialist batter.
What Worked Against Marnus Labuschagne?
Although batter Steve Smith and Labuschagane love batting together in Test cricket, the combo hasn’t worked at all in ODIs. Both Smith and Labuschagne are similar kinds of batters who take some time before playing the big shots. Demands of modern-day ODI game, however, are quite different and don’t allow such batters to play together in the same Playing XI.
In spite of once been given an opportunity at the top of the order against India in 2020, Labuschagne scored only seven runs. Batter Travis Head, on the other hand, has absolutely grabbed chances as an opening batter in this format. Readers must note that Head has scored 1,012 runs in 21 innings at an average of 50.60 including three centuries and seven half-centuries in this role.
Talking about Labuschagne’s bowling, he has scalped just two wickets across 30.5 overs at a horrendous strike rate of 92.50. There is no denying the fact that his part-time spin hasn’t turned out in a manner it was expected to at one point in time.
Marnus Labuschagne Not The First High-Profile Australian Cricketer To Have Been Left Out Of World Cup Squad
When all is said and done, losing a World Cup spot is certainly not the end of the ODI road for Labuschagne. Australia spinner Nathan Lyon wasn’t considered for ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 at home but he made a comeback and participated in the next World Cup in 2019.
Similarly, pacer Josh Hazlewood couldn’t make the World Cup squad the last time. In 2023, he is doubtlessly going to be one of their most important assets. Unlike Labuschagne, batter Peter Handscomb remained absent from the squad in 2019 despite performing well. In 12 ODI innings in the year leading to the world event, he had scored 483 runs at an average of 43.54 with the help of a century and three half-centuries.
Considering Labuschagne’s skills, it wouldn’t be a surprise if he makes a comeback to the ODI squad sometime in the future. For the sake of inspiration, he can learn from India captain Rohit Sharma, who wasn’t selected for ICC World Cup 2011 but eventually became one of the best ODI openers.
