‘Like to see him check’: Marnus Labuschagne hits back at David Warner’s claims of playing too loosely in Adelaide

Marnus Labuschagne has queried David Warner’s criticism of him following Australia’s win in Adelaide, saying it’s impossible to appease everyone as he prepares for the Gabba Test.

Marnus Labuschagne has hit back at criticism from David Warner, but Australia’s first drop stresses that he is focused only on winning Test matches rather than trying to please others.

Under fierce scrutiny following twin failures in the Aussies’ heavy first Test defeat in Perth, Labuschagne took a major step forward in Adelaide, making a critical 64 to help the side to a series-levelling 10 wicket win over India.

Warner, however, was not convinced. Among several concerns raised by the former Test opener, Warner queried Labuschagne’s “lack of awareness” in getting out by picking out gully, which the left-hander suggested was a trend once the Queenslander passed 50.

Marnus Labuschagne has hit back at David Warner’s criticism of his match in Perth. Picture: Robert Cianflone/Getty Images

But speaking ahead of his home Test at the Gabba, Labuschagne disputed his ex-teammate’s assertion.

“I’d like to see him check how many times I’ve been caught at gully, because apparently I get out there every week,” Labuschagne told this masthead.

“And I’ve looked back and I think I can only remember getting caught at gully twice. So I might have to have a look at Bull’s (Warner’s) comment there. But like I said, everyone’s here to write newspapers, write articles.”

Labuschagne quipped that it was effectively impossible to please everyone given he had been roundly lampooned in Perth for a lack of intent and had now copped it for playing too loosely.

Labuschagne bounced back in Adelaide. Picture: Michael ERREY/AFP

“I’m watching the game, and I’m trying to play pretty naturally,” Labuschagne said.

“I mean, hitting a cut shot, the ball was there. It was a little bit short, and I tried to hit the ball through backward point, skidded on a little bit more, and I got a bit late, and (Yashasvi Jaiswal) took a very good catch. It’s a two-edged sword. Week before, I wasn’t playing enough shots, and then this week, people are unhappy because you’re playing too many shots. So the end of the day, I’m not here to please everyone. I’m here to win games for Australia.

“It’s not about trying to convince people I’m back or not. For me, it’s about winning games for Australia and me finding ways to score runs. That’s what I did last week and hopefully we can have a repeat. And when I get that opportunity again, and get myself in to make sure I make it a big score. (I was a) little bit disappointed getting out the stage that I did last week, but that’s part of the game. And the benefit is that it was able to be set up for someone else to take advantage of that, which is good.”

Labuschagne and Warner were teammates earlier in the year. Picture: Richard Dobson

Labuschagne appeared more upright at the crease in Adelaide, which he said was a by-product of some technical tweaks he had made between the first and second Tests to get himself more aligned at the crease.

“Upright is probably just a few flow on effects to what I have been trying to do. I just prefer never to get too squatty and low, because I just feel like it’s harder to move when I’m a bit lower to the ground. So that might be a little bit more of a flow on effect of some of the technical things that I’ve changed.”