Marnus Labuschagne sets sights on T20 World Cup spot
Fresh from making an assured ODI debut in India, Australia’s Test batting sensation Marnus Labuschagne believes he has the skills to be a three-format international. And Steve Smith agrees.
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The Marn of the moment is not finished yet.
Batting sensation Marnus Labuschagne has set his sights on playing for Australia in all three formats ahead of this year’s ICC T20 World Cup.
Fresh off his impressive one-day international debut series in India, Labuschagne will make his first appearance of the summer for the Brisbane Heat at the Gabba on Thursday night.
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The 25-year-old Queenslander has enjoyed a meteoric rise over the past six months, starring for Australia in the Test arena and earning an ODI call-up.
Labuschagne produced scores of 46 and 54 in his two innings in India and has shot into contention for the T20 World Cup in Australia from October.
“I’d love to play all formats for Australia,” Labuschagne said after touching down in Brisbane yesterday.
“I got an opportunity in the one-dayers and I really enjoyed that. It was nice to bat in the middle order.
“Now it’s just about getting ready for the next challenge which is on Thursday night.”
Labuschagne will slot into a Heat team reeling from Sunday night’s shocking 44-run loss to the Renegades, which included the worst 10-wicket collapse in Big Bash history.
Chasing 165 for victory, the Heat fell from 0-84 after only six overs to be all out for 120 and will face Steve Smith’s Sydney Sixers as they attempt to bounce back.
Smith, one of Australia’s few three-format players, said there was no reason Labuschagne couldn’t present a case for World Cup selection following his recent run of form.
“I’m not a selector but we’ve seen how much he’s grown over the last 12 months in one-day cricket and Test cricket,” Smith said.
“With the form he’s in there’s no reason he can’t be scoring runs in T20 cricket and putting his case forward. I certainly don’t see why not.
“We saw how he grew in Test cricket over the summer, the way he played.
“In his first few one-day games he looked right at home. Now it’s about taking that to the next level in T20 cricket.
“For him it’s about picking the right gears and being able to know when to play a big shot and when to bring it back a bit.
“He’s so quick between the wickets and there’s lots of twos to be had. You need those players in your team in T20 cricket. He’s certainly got a bright future.”
After cracking back into the Test team during Australia’s successful Ashes campaign, Labuschagne blasted 896 runs, including three big centuries and one double ton, against Pakistan and New Zealand during the Test summer.
He has thrown his hand up to play for the Heat only two days after returning from the India tour and said he had no plans to slow down.
“I’m feeling great – I’ve got a day off to rest up then a game in a couple of days’ time,” Labuschagne said.
“I absolutely want to play. I haven’t played much T20 cricket, so it would be a nice opportunity to get a bit more time in that format.
“It was not my first time to India, but it was my first time travelling with the Australian team. It was pretty hectic and crazy.
“It was a lot of fun. It was a very short tour, but it was very good.”
Originally published as Marnus Labuschagne sets sights on T20 World Cup spot