‘On thin ice’: Marnus Labuschagne’s horror run could be ‘terminal’

Marnus Labuschagne had a golden start to his Test career but a horror run has put his place in the team under the microscope.

Marnus Labuschagne is under pressure to produce a big score soon as his ongoing form slump continued on the first day of the Test series against New Zealand.

Cameron Green scored his second Test century to ensure Australia reached a competitive 9/279 at stumps on Day 1 in Wellington, but he played a largely lone hand.

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Usman Khawaja (33) and Steve Smith (31) did well to see off the new ball but if it wasn’t for Green and Mitch Marsh (40 off 39 balls) the Aussies could have been in all sorts of trouble.

Australia lost 6/105 as the top order collapsed around Marsh and Green, who increased his scoring rate as he batted with the tail and neared his century.

Smith became the first Aussie since 2011 to carry his bat in the second Test against the West Indies last month, a knock that will keep most of the critics at bay until next summer.

But the form slumps of Marnus Labuschagne and Travis Head are cause for concern.

Head rescued Australia against the West Indies with an excellent century in Adelaide and the stage was set for him to do the same when he came to the crease at 3/88 against the Kiwis. But the left-hander nicked off for one.

Australia's Marnus Labuschagne is struggling for runs. (Photo by Marty MELVILLE / AFP)

Labuschagne’s form slump is more worrying, with his average about to dip below 50 after being over 60 in late 2022.

Australia’s No. 3 burst on the scene as a concussion substitute at Lord’s in the 2019 Ashes and made a blistering start to his Test career.

He has 11 Test centuries to his name at an average of 50.20. Only two of those centuries came overseas and Labuschagne hasn’t reached triple figures since the fourth Ashes Test last year.

Since scoring 111 against England in Manchester, Labuschagne has scores of 9, 13, 16, 2, 63, 4, 60, 62*, 10, 1*, 3, 5 and 1.

The 29-year-old looked out of sorts against the New Zealand pacemen and eventually edged a delivery from Scott Kuggeleijn to first slip. He scored one run off 27 balls.

“He looked very tentative,” Fox Cricket’s Brendon Julian said in commentary.

“Just sort of sat in the crease.”

While Marsh has been rock solid since returning to the Australian side during the Ashes, Labuschagne’ potentially risks exposing the Allan Border Medallist and Green too early in an innings.

Labuschagne is in a deep form slump. (Photo by Marty MELVILLE / AFP)

The No. 3 is desperate for a big score. (Photo by Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images)

Cricket stats guru Ric Finlay wrote on X the Aussie No. 3 is “skating on thin ice” and if he continues his decline in form, it could well be “terminal” for his spot in the side.

Cricket journalist Bharat Sundaresan tweeted: “Marnus Labuschagne was filthy with himself for edging a very similar delivery in the nets a couple of days ago & he seemed in a similar mood after edging that one from Scott Kuggeleijn.”

Marnus skating on thin ice here. His Test batting average by chronological quartiles:
58.05
57.48
56.56
31.27

Declines of that quantum tend to be terminal.

— Ric Finlay (@RicFinlay) February 29, 2024

Apart from Travis Head (out of form), Steve Smith (new opening role), Marnus Labuschagne (also out of form) and Cameron Green (new role at number four), this is a very solid Australian top six. #NZvAUS

— Dan Liebke (@LiebCricket) February 29, 2024

Broadcaster Stephen Quartermain said: “Geez Marnus Labuschagne batted himself into a real hole there. Terribly out of form.”

Labuschagne’s dip in form is concerning given Australia face India in a blockbuster five-Test series at home next summer.

India have beaten Australia in the past two Test series Down Under and with a pace attack boasting Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami and Mohammed Siraj, and the Ravi Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja spin duo, Labuschagne will need to be back at his best.