Marnus Labuschagne, who was not chosen for Australia’s team for the 2023 ODI World Cup, has openly admitted that he needs to get better in order to maintain his position in the team.
It’s crucial to underline that the former Australian captain, Steven Smith, has sadly suffered a wrist injury. As a consequence, he won’t be able to take part in the upcoming white ball series against South Africa. Hence, Marnus Labuschagne has received an invitation to step in and take his position.
Upon earning this opportunity, Labuschagne underlined his enduring faith in his suitability for the middle-order position. The 29-year-old feels driven to validate his place in this important spot. However, he’s fully conscious that his recent performance made up to his exclusion from a key competition. Therefore, he is focusing his attention on an outstanding performance against South Africa, seeking a return to his position in the greater cricket plans.
“I had to look at my one-day performance, and it wasn’t up to the standard that I uphold. I’ve got no doubt that I’m still the right person for Australia to bat in that middle order, but at the end of the day, you have to show it with performances, and hopefully, South Africa can be an opportunity for me to show that.” Marnus said to Fox Cricket.
“It’s still all about the team, it’s not just about my selection. It’s about starting to play really good one-day cricket for Australia, starting to put really good performances together as a team,” Marnus further added.
I want to be a bit more proactive than I have been in previous times: Marnus Labuschagne
Labuschagne additionally pointed out that he was given several chances, though regretfully, he couldn’t establish his superiority on the field. While he smashed a stunning century against South Africa in March 2020, his influence in the 50-over format has declined after then. Despite being famous for his reliability in Test cricket, he hasn’t managed to emulate that success in One Day Internationals (ODIs). Labuschagne’s record includes 30 ODI matches for Australia, while he totaled just 847 runs with an average of 31.37.
“I think I’ve had a fair few opportunities to sort of stamp down that authority at No. 4, and I haven’t taken the opportunity. Hopefully in the next few games I can do that … I certainly want to be a bit more proactive than I have been in previous times,” Labuschagne concluded.
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