It would be an understatement to say that Australia batter Marnus Labuschagne batted with intent during the first innings of the second Test match against India at the Arun Jaitley Stadium today. One of their better batters from an innings defeat in the first Test match in Nagpur, Labuschagne would’ve been repenting getting out in spite of looking positive in the middle.
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Coming in to bat at No. 3 in the 16th over, Labuschagne played six dot deliveries before getting off the mark with a boundary off India pacer Mohammed Shami. Labuschagne, who drove Shami for a boundary through the cover region, hit another oen in the same over albeit through the gully region off an outside edge.
On the first ball that Labuschagne faced against India all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin, he stepped out to confidently hit the ball through the mid-wicket region for a boundary. It was at this very time when Australia were racing away on the back of several boundaries by both opening batter Usman Khawaja and Labuschagne.
Labuschagne’s third delivery against India all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja saw him not caring about the former’s reputation to slog him over mid-wicket for his fourth boundary of the match.
It was only a couple of overs later when Labuschagne had to walk back to the pavilion after Ashwin found him wanting in front of the stumps. Bowling round the wicket, Ashwin pitched the ball in line and made it turn enough to beat the right-handed batter. Not given out first up, India benefited from captain Rohit Sharma challenging the on-field umpire’s decision.
Fearing R Ashwin, Marnus Labuschagne starts from way behind crease
Labuschagne, however, was noticed taking cognizance of Ashwin’s strong and justified opinion on batters gaining unfair advantage by taking an illegal start at the non-striker’s end. As a result, the 28-year old player was seen standing way behind the popping crease. Such a move, if adopted by batters at a global level, can aid them in taking a start whilst remaining within the rules of the sport.
Following India Women’s all-rounder Deepti Sharma running out England all-rounder Charlie Dean in a game-defining dismissal last year, former India batter Mohammad Kaif had expressed a view around batters mentally programmed to take a start at the non-striker’s end.
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Although no extent of programming should allow anyone to gain an unjust advantage, batters can follow Labuschagne in modifying a conventional start to not be accused of cheating.
