As Australia’s No. 3 looks for a comeback, Pat Cummins anticipates seeing a more active Marnus Labuschagne at the crease in Adelaide. However, despite doubts about how many overs Mitchell Marsh has left in him, it seems unlikely that Labuschagne will be employed much as a medium-pace bowler.
After making 2 from 52 balls in his first innings in Perth, Labuschagne has been under intense scrutiny. In the second innings, he was lbw for 3 after shouldering arms to Jasprit Bumrah. But according to research, Labuschagne was right to assume that Bumrah’s ball would have missed the stumps since it was a vicious one that slipped through low.
He has scored 90 of the 123 runs he has scored in his past ten Test matches from a single innings in Christchurch, although his form has been problematic for some time. His strokeplay has shown a discernible urgency during his net sessions in Adelaide, and there are signs that he is trying to find methods to rotate the attack. Labuschagne has three hundreds and an average of 71.75 at Adelaide Oval, which is a remarkable record.
Even though it did not go well, Cummins was optimistic that the batters would be better for having faced the India attack, especially Jasprit Bumrah, even if he acknowledged that Australia was not up to par in Perth.
“I hope there’s some lessons learnt,” he replied. “We’ve looked at them in terms of batting and bowling, and they’ve looked at us as well. However, you can see some of the bowling strategies you wish to use. After looking at what they’re going to hurl at us, I’m sure—in fact, I sincerely hope—that everyone has learned a little and returned here a little more prepared.”
The only change to Australia’s XI 24 hours before the Test was the addition of Scott Boland in place of the injured Josh Hazlewood.
Cummins, who acknowledged that Marsh had been fighting back stiffness since the UK’s white-ball tour, was certain the all-rounder could contribute to the attack even though he hadn’t bowled in the lead-up.
“[We] made the call with the medical staff over the last couple of days to give him a couple of days off bowling, but expect him to warm up and if required [he] will bowl,” Cummins stated. Instead of sort of eating up part of his overs in the nets, give them priority for the games.
Labuschagne deployed himself as a bouncer bowler in Perth before switching back to legspin late in India’s second innings, but Cummins said that if Marsh’s production was constrained, the four primary bowlers would probably absorb any additional overs needed in this encounter.
“I’d say more likely turn to the fast bowlers a bit more,” Cummins stated. There is some preservation there since Joshy was experiencing some soreness in Perth at the finish. “Everyone fits and fires throughout this test, so generally speaking, you tend to rely on your four major men.”
Crucially, as Boland makes his first appearance for the Test team since the Ashes last year, Cummins mentioned his capacity to bowl for extended periods of time.
It seems like he hasn’t performed in a long time. He has performed at this level, is incredibly reliable, and appears to be ready to go.
But after bowling during Wednesday’s training, there is growing optimism that Hazlewood would be ready to return for the third Test in Brisbane.
Before they decided not to force him through the issue, Cummins clarified that Hazlewood had originally kept bowling after immediately sensing the side trouble in Perth.
“That’s probably the right call in hindsight,” he stated. “I think in previous years where he kept bowling, he probably turned that one week injury into a three or four or five week injury whereas this year seems a little bit different and he feels really confident.”
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