David Warner: Why Marnus Labuschagne must return to Australia’s Test XI for the Ashes
He has been one of Marnus Labuschagne’s harshest critics, but retired star David Warner has declared the batsman must be returned to Australia’s line-up for the Ashes.
One of Marnus Labuschagne’s harshest critics has declared the batsman must be returned to Australia’s line-up for the Ashes.
David Warner pulled no punches last summer when assessing Labuschagne’s form struggles against India in his commentary for Fox Cricket, and by June, his premonitions were proven correct when his former teammate was dropped for Australia’s most recent tour of the West Indies.
However, Labuschagne’s three hundreds in four matches to start this domestic summer has convinced Warner that the real Marnus is back and must be returned to Australia’s top three with a bullet to face England.
“Marnus has scored back-to-back hundreds, one in Shield and one in a one-dayer. When you look at that there is a lot of merit in saying he’s the best batter,” Warner said at the launch of Kayo and Fox Cricket’s summer coverage in Sydney on Monday.
“If they want to start well, they probably go with (Labuschagne) I reckon. He’s played in Ashes before. He knows what he’s got to do.
“He was in a bit of a form slump but he’s come out firing.
“If that first opportunity comes up (for a vacancy) I think they go with Marnus.”
Warner says he would be backing in incumbent Sam Konstas as opener and playing Labuschagne in his accustomed position at No.3.
Such a move would likely result in Beau Webster losing his place in the team, because Cameron Green would have to be shifted down the order to his place at No.6.
Fellow Fox expert Mark Waugh disagrees with Webster being cast by the wayside, and has tipped Labuschagne to slot in as opener for the first Test in Perth.
“I’d open with him assuming he keeps making runs and Konstas doesn’t make big runs,” Waugh said.
“That’s the way the selectors are probably looking.
“Marnus is back in form and he’s still in our top six batsmen in Australia, now he has his confidence back.
“He’s maybe a bit freer in the mind and he’s probably the frontrunner and I’d open with him and (Usman) Khawaja.
“I’d look at Steve Smith at 3 and Cameron Green at 4.
“Beau Webster deserves his spot. He’s done a good job with the bat. He’s made some difficult runs on some difficult pitches and his bowling is more than handy and he’s a great fieldsman.
“He deserves his spot at 6 and Green at 4. It’s a bonus they can both bowl. I wouldn’t be changing that at all.”
Konstas needs a big hundred in his next two Sheffield Shield outings for NSW, while opportunities remain for Jake Weatherald and Marcus Harris to also put a big performance in front of the selectors.
Australia is hesitant about locking in Green at No.3 given he has now returned to bowling as the all-rounder – but to push him back down the order an opener would need to announce himself in the next fortnight.
Warner warned Australia against looking outside the square and considering a white-ball opener as a make-shift Test opener – such as Josh Inglis or Mitchell Marsh.
“You can have that mindset of going after it but I don’t think that’s the right way to go about it,” Warner said.
“Josh is a wonderful player, great player, yet again it’s foreign.
“Do the Australian cricket team want to start mixing and matching a solution for the short-term?
“I think you stick with the youngster (Konstas) and then keep looking to bring along other guys who are doing really well, like Weatherald.
“I don’t think a short-term solution is the way to go, you want to find someone for the next 5-10 years.”
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