Former Australia pacer Mitchell Johnson has called for a replacement of batter Marnus Labuschagne after his poor run of form, for the second Test against India in Adelaide from December.
The Aussies suffered a 295-run loss to India in the first Test, with the 30-year-old scoring an abysmal five runs over two innings.
“Labuschagne—after a lengthy poor run with the bat—should be replaced for the second Test in Adelaide. I honestly believe the best thing for Labuschagne at this stage would be to be left out,” Johnson wrote in his column for The Nightly.
“It would give him a chance to play some Sheffield Shield and club cricket away from the pressure of playing for your country, and I feel he would benefit from that more than going out there trying to survive against Jasprit Bumrah and co.”
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Labuschagne has struggled to get going this summer, with an average of 13.66 in his last ten Test innings. In the last 11 months, he has just one score over 10, a 90-run knock against New Zealand in March this year.
“Cricketers get dropped at some point in their careers, and it’s about how you bounce back from that,” Johnson added.
“Coming up against India, who now have their tails up, will be tough for anyone, but sometimes having fresh players in the team can bring the boys together in an energetic way. A new batsman could also come in clear-minded without having gone through a defeat like we just saw and play their natural game with less pressure.”
Australia has been in choppy waters before the pink-ball Test already, trailing 0-1 in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and its key bowler Josh Hazlewood ruled out with a strain.
But with the inclusion of Josh Inglis, Beau Webster, Sean Abbott and Brendan Dogget, the hosts will look to turn the tide before its too late in their own den.
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