Ahead of the Ashes Test series, former England cricketer Mark Butcher has backed Marnus Labuschagne to bat at number three for Australia. He also said that the right-hander has quietened his doubters.
Before the first Test match against England, there will be discussions about whether to send Labuschagne or Cameron Green at the number three spot. Green has also started to bowl and will be looked at as a long-term number three option.
On the other hand, Labuschagne has emerged as the top run-scorer in the Sheffield Shield. In four matches, he has scored 402 runs, with an average of 67, including two centuries and a half-century.
While speaking on the `Wisden Cricket Weekly Podcast`, Butcher labelled Labuschagne`s current form as a huge boon for the Aussies.
“The main thing, particularly in the batting, is that Labuschagne seems to have rediscovered what made him so prolific in the early part of his Test-match career by churning out runs for fun in the Sheffield Shield, which is a huge boon for Australia,” he said.
“I think they were loath really to throw in any of the other likely lads, none of whom have really set the world on fire in the last couple of years. So they were desperate for one of their old hands, one of their experienced hands, to quieten down the doubts as to whether or not he was still top class, and I think he has done that,” said the 53-year-old former cricketer.
Additionally, Australian skipper and star pacer Pat Cummins will miss out on the series opener, as he is still in the recovery process of the injury. In his absence, Steve Smith will lead the Australian pack in the first Test match against the “Three Lions”.
The Ashes: Full Squads
Australia`s squad (first Test only): Steve Smith (c), Sean Abbott, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Brendan Doggett, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Starc, Jake Weatherald, Beau Webster.
England`s squad: Ben Stokes (c), Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Shoaib Bashir, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Will Jacks, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts, Joe Root, Jamie Smith, Josh Tongue, Mark Wood.
(With ANI Inputs)