Latest news with #CricketSelectors
The Guardian
14 hours ago
- Sport
- The Guardian
Marnus Labuschagne axed as Sam Konstas returns for Australia in first West Indies Test
Australia's selectors have made their biggest call in recent memory, dropping Marnus Labuschagne from the top order and replacing him with Sam Konstas. Chief selector George Bailey confirmed on Friday that Labuschagne would miss next week's first Test against the West Indies. Steve Smith will also miss the match as he recovers from his dislocated finger, with medical staff to assess him ahead of the second Test. Josh Inglis will come into the XI, while it is expected Konstas will open, but Australia will unveil their batting order and bowling attack closer to the start of the first Test next Wednesday. It is the decision to drop Labuschagne that will be the biggest talking point since Bailey took over as chief selector in 2021. Labuschagne was the top-ranked Test batter in the world as recently as two years ago, but has averaged just 27.82 for the past 12 months. He was moved from his regular spot at No 3 to open in the World Test Championship final loss to South Africa last week, for returns of 17 and 22. 'Marnus at his best can be a really important member of this team. He understands his output hasn't been at the level we, or he, expects,' Bailey said in a statement. 'We will continue working with him on the areas of his game we feel he needs to rediscover. 'We continue to value his skill and expect him to work through the challenge positively.' Konstas's recall comes after he was left out of the team for Sri Lanka, following the teenager's high-profile start to Test life with a half-century on debut on Boxing Day against India. Selectors opted to go with Travis Head at the top of the order in Galle, given their preference to have him open on spinning wickets. But that move was only ever temporary, leaving the opening spot free for Labuschagne at Lord's last week and now seemingly Konstas in the West Indies. Inglis also impressed with a century on debut in Galle in January, before being squeezed out of the side for the Test Championship final. 'Steve needs more time for the wound to heal so we'll give him another week's rest and assess his functionality after that,' Bailey said. 'We have made the decision to give Josh and Sam the opportunity to replace Steve and Marnus. 'We are excited to see them get the chance to further their fledgling Test careers. In his only opportunity in Test cricket to date, Josh was outstanding in Sri Lanka, showing great intent and ability to put pressure on the opposition.' Sign up to The Spin Subscribe to our cricket newsletter for our writers' thoughts on the biggest stories and a review of the week's action after newsletter promotion The decision to drop the 30-year-old Labuschagne comes after former coach Justin Langer urged officials to keep him in the side this week, with his experience valuable. Usman Khawaja is aged 38 and Smith 36, meaning a transition in the top order looms after David Warner's retirement from Test cricket last year. 'He's actually a very, very important link in this chain,' Langer said on Monday. 'You think about the history of Australian cricket. The best young players come in surrounded by absolute guns. 'Michael Clarke, Ricky Ponting, Damien Martyn and Matthew Hayden. They come in and they're around gun players. If you just all of a sudden bring a couple of kids in, Cameron Green's still young to the game, and you have to bring another kid in there [to replace Labuschagne].'
Daily Mail
6 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Inside Karun Nair's remarkable comeback: India star was exiled to the wilderness with 'no explanation' and broke down in tears on his wife's birthday... here's how the veteran turned it around to win a Test lifeline
We are in the courtyard of the Taj Hotel in central London - the same place that for the last seven years Karun Nair associated with the end of his international career. Nair, now 33, was part of the India squad for the Test series against England in 2018. He was reduced to carrying drinks for the first four Tests but with England 3-1 up going into the dead rubber at The Oval, felt he would get his chance. It was during the meeting inside this hotel before the fifth Test that Nair discovered he wasn't playing when the team was put on the big screen. The selectors opted for Hanuma Vihari, who was only called into the squad before the fourth Test. To this day, Nair admits that no one explained why he was snubbed.
News.com.au
11-06-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
Marnus Labuschagne's ‘frustrating' first day on the job leaves Pat Cummins with a headache
Marnus Labuschagne's future at Test level could be hanging by a thread. As Australia marched into the World Test Championship final this week at Lord's, the spotlight turned a little sharper onto the Queenslander's recent output. Especially after skipper Pat Cummins opted to send him in to face the new ball while desperate for runs. Labuschagne has averaged just 28.33 across the two-year WTC cycle. It's a far cry from the prolific heights he once occupied, and now calls to axe him are slowly amplifying. His experience at No. 3 made it a somewhat logical selection for Pat Cummins to promote him to opener heading to Lord's. His ability to occupy the crease are, on paper, a captain's dream when looking for an opener. To his credit, he did a job, of sorts, on Wednesday. Surviving 18 overs of probing swing under moody skies at Lord's isn't a cakewalk. But it wasn't exactly reassuring for selectors looking to the future. His lack of momentum sparked criticism from the commentary box, as 20 consecutive dot balls sapped the momentum from Australia's innings early on. 'It's quite frustrating to watch,' said former England batsman and Aussie arch-nemesis Kevin Pietersen in commentary. 'He has the ability to hit the ball.' Even his own captain seemed to gently nudge him toward a more proactive mindset. 'We love when (openers) are busy and they're putting pressure back on the bowlers,' Cummins said. 'That's our message here to Marnus... There's runs to be scored there.' South African skipper Temba Bavuma also threw a veiled swipe before play this week, suggesting his strike team of seamers could capitalise on the 'opportunity' of having Marnus in a new position while in a slump. 'I think there is an opportunity there,' Bavuma said. 'I think the conditions as well, I believe, bring us into the game a lot. With the swinging ball, (it's) very different to Australian conditions. Different to South African conditions as well, so that definitely gives us an opportunity.' Towering left-arm quick Marco Jansen took that opportunity just as Labuschagne appeared to get over the initial hurdle, snagging his outside edge and sending him on his way for 17. Former captain and Marnus' good mate Steve Smith backed up Marnus in front of the press after day one, declaring that he 'looked really sharp'. That was echoed by former South African superstar AB de Villiers, who suggested the 30-year-old actually looked to be 'in form'. 'I thought he started pretty well today. He looked really sharp in his movements. He left really nicely. He was solid in defence and he played some really good shots,' Smith said. 'So I think it would have been nice (for him) to have gone on and made a few more, as it would have been for all of us out there, but I think we can take some positives on the way he was moving and the way he was playing.'
News.com.au
11-06-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
Australia v South Africa World Test Championship Final Day 1 Live Scores
The fact Marnus Labuschagne is the fifth opening batsman Australia has trialled in nine Tests is strange enough. Especially when you consider there's likely to be another change in one Test time when there will be a push on to return Sam Konstas to the line-up in the West Indies. The decision to promote Labuschagne to a new position and hold back Konstas' seemingly inevitable path back to the Australian top order before the Ashes might have been on the cards for several weeks now – but it is still an unusual move by selectors. Contrasted with the boldness and instinct behind Konstas' stunning debut against India at the MCG on Boxing Day, backing in Labuschagne at Lord's as reward for the role he has played in Australia's journey to the World Test Championship Final is a conservative selection. If Australia think Konstas is the right call in another Test's time against the West Indies (which isn't guaranteed but seems likely), than why not just pull the trigger now? Labuschagne making runs at Lord's would complicate any plan to parachute Konstas back into the line-up in the Caribbean. Good problem to have of course, but what if three soft Tests against the Windies disappear – like the two against Sri Lanka earlier in the year – and Australia has wasted an entire year where they could have been honing Konstas' game before England arrives in Perth. In that scenario, Australia's mature-age batting top order wouldn't want to hit early Ashes turbulence. At 19 years of age, Konstas – who Steve Smith regards as one of the best young talents he has seen – is the future. Biding time with him and letting him learn by being around the squad is understandable on one level but the fact the entire Australian side with the exception of Cameron Green is over the age of 30 also makes it risky not to be taking the chance to get games into him. Konstas has already thrived on a Boxing Day MCG stage which was bigger and more cut-throat than the one Australia is taking to against South Africa this week and his time simply must come in the West Indies. The loyalty of this selection panel is an admirable trait and has helped instil confidence in the dressing room and this wasn't a clear cut call because Labuschagne has still chipped in with semi-regular fighting half centuries which have helped Australia. Any player who has 11 Test centuries at an average of 46 should not be easily dismissed. But Cameron Green's sudden return to fitness and red-hot form forced selectors into a position where they were required to make a big call at Lord's. They took the conservative option with Labuschagne and it remains to be seen whether keeping Konstas on the bench when his stocks were so high comes at a price in the long-run. Time will tell.
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
'Good enough': Pat Cummins' eye-opening call about Aussie opener for WTC final
Australia captain Pat Cummins has the chance to become the first skipper to lead his team to back-to-back World Test Cricket Championships. In a one-on-one sit-down interview with Yahoo Sport Australia ahead of this week's final against South Africa at Lord's, he spoke about Australia's "good" problem at the top of the order, Kagiso Rabada's return from a drugs ban, the MCC members and even Ange Postecoglou's Spurs sacking. Speaking two days out from the start of the final, Cummins insists nothing is set in concrete as far as the top order is concerned. But it appears Marnus Labuschagne may have his nose in front of Sam Konstas for the vacant opening position, with Cameron Green likely to bat at 3. "There are three or four guys to fit into one spot and you can mount a case for basically any one of them. It's a really good problem to have. The selectors will get together in the next 48 hours and have a good look at the wicket and stay open-minded," he said. "Marn's batted three pretty much his whole career and there's been many games where he's walked out in the first over against the swinging ball. I know a lot of the batters probably say it makes a difference where they bat in the order, but for me he's good enough to play anywhere. "It tends to be that way (Labuschagne at his best when cornered). In the ODI World Cup, it was almost like every game was pretty close to (possibly being the end) but he hung in there and finds a way." Now into its third edition, the World Test Championship has fast become a coveted title. Australia has the chance to become the first team to win consecutive crowns. "I think the journey to make a final is tough. You've got to win away and home across two years and you need a real strong squad of players," Cummins pointed out. "For us, it's hugely relevant and a huge achievement to make the final. The opportunity to go back-to-back's really big." RELATED: Cricket world stunned as rival joins Glenn Maxwell in immediate exit Mitchell Starc's sad career call after difficult decision with wife They're a side we don't know super well in red ball cricket but have played most of them in white ball. And playing them with a Duke's (ball) over in England, you can't quite match it up exactly to previous tours. What we do know is they will be strong with both bat and ball." The South African quick's speedy return following a reduced drugs ban raised a few eyebrows in the cricketing world, as did his follow-up comments that he expects a verbal barrage from the Aussies. Cummins said: "He's always up for a Test match. He gets them going and is pretty fiery. I'm sure he will be a challenge but our batters are up for it," Cummins said. "I think all our batters can look at their attack and where we've done well against him and draw confidence from that." As for the Rabada drugs controversy, the Aussie skipper said: "It's got nothing to do with us. He can play so it doesn't really bother us." The last time the Australians were at Lord's for a Test match, all hell broke loose after the members physically and verbally attacked the tourists in the wake of the Jonny Bairstow stumping. Measures have been put in place to keep members away from the players, but Cummins is not expecting any lingering hostility. "The good thing about London is there's lots of Aussies here and they are keen to come to the game," he said. "I think it's pretty packed crowds for most of the days and it'll be interesting to see (the support levels for both teams). It always feel like we've got pretty decent support here." While Australia's first point of business is the WTC final, there is no escaping the Ashes buzz in England. The Poms, for their part, are promising to tweak their Bazball approach while dropping some of the corporate talk. "Everyone's already talking about it but I don't see too much connection from this to the Ashes," Cummins said. "But if we go into the summer holding two maces, that would be a nice thing for our group to do. I haven't seen anything (about walking back from Bazball), because I'm always just worried about what we do and not too bothered about what the opposition do." Cummins holds the highest office in Australian sport and was in London when Spurs dropped the axe on manager Ange Postecoglou just 16 days after the club's Europa Cup success. He empathises with his fellow Aussie and cricket tragic, saying: "It's a shame to see, especially after winning that trophy. I know the league's been a bit tough, but he's been a successful coach for a long time and I'm sure he'll bounce back and another team will snap him up pretty quickly." The ICC World Test Championship final (June 11-15) is on Prime Video and available to all members in Australia at no additional cost to their membership. Coverage starts 7.30pm (AEST). Pat Cummins is a Prime Video ambassador.
