Virat Kohli expects Marnus Labuschagne to become a force in all three formats
He’s had a season many can only dream of and Virat Kohli has now given Marnus Labuschagne the seal of approval and made a huge prediction for Australia’s latest batting star.
Cricket
Don't miss out on the headlines from Cricket. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Virat Kohli says Marnus Labuschagne is “like a bunny running around” with the India captain blown away by the batsman’s boundless energy and positive body language.
Labuschagne’s 46 and 54 at No.4 locked the Test revelation into Australia’s ODI line-up as one of the shining lights from the 2-1 series loss.
Captain Aaron Finch praised Labuschagne’s maturity while Kohli went an extra step by revealing his team had privately discussed what an amazing prospect the cricket nuffie was.
“He’s very sure of what he wants to do,” Kohli said.
Watch every single KFC BBL match LIVE & On-Demand on KAYO with FOX CRICKET’s unmatched commentary line-up. New to Kayo? Get your 14-day free trial & start streaming instantly >
“Again, body language, intent, he’s there, he’s running hard between the wickets, he wants the ball, he wants to be in the important positions in the field.
“He’s got the right mindset to be a consistent player and to be a top player in the world for a while.”
Labuschagne will be a key wicket for India in next summer’s Test series in Australia. Finch said Labuschagne had not received enough exposure in T20 cricket although Kohli was certain he would become a three-format force.
“He’s shown that in Test cricket, he’s shown that in one-day cricket, and I’m sure if he plays T20 cricket, he’ll show the same clarity there as well,” Kohli said.
“He looks like a complete team man. So, against guys like that, you need to have total clarity and not back off, because if a guy brings that kind of clarity, it can really put the bowlers under pressure if you’re not up to the mark.
“With guys like that, I think, it’s about who loses patience first. If you give him a window, he can take the game away from you.
“He’s always and always energetic. I really don’t know where he gets that energy from.
“He’s like a bunny running around. He’s got a lot of energy and he’s always running around.”
Labuschagne shared 96-run and 127-run ODI partnerships with mentor Steve Smith in India.
The pair – so similar in their obsession with batting and love for the game – is now average 82.1 runs when they unite in the middle after 10 Test and ODI partnerships.
Originally published as Virat Kohli expects Marnus Labuschagne to become a force in all three formats