'That's a dropping': Ian Healy rejects left-field suggestion to revive Marnus Labuschagne

Michael Vaughan and Ian Healy have both called for Marnus Labuschagne to be retained for the second Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series despite his lengthy form slump that culminated in an atrocious lbw dismissal in Perth.

But Vaughan has urged Australia's first drop to squeeze in some grade cricket ahead of the Adelaide Test as he tries to rediscover the form that propelled him to the No.1 ranking in men's Test batting and an average in excess of 60.

In December 2022, after an incredible run that yielded four centuries including a double from six Test innings, Labuschagne was the top-ranked Test batsman and boasted an average of 60.82. The Queenslander had also compiled 10 Test tons in his career by December 2022.

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But in Test cricket since that time, the right-hander has averaged 30.80 and only chalked up one century. He's also only scored one century from his past 41 Test innings.

In Australia's humiliating 295-run defeat to India in the Perth Test, he was dismissed for 2 from 52 balls and 3 from five deliveries.

His second dig ended in ignominious fashion when he was trapped lbw by Indian quick Jasprit Bumrah without offering a shot.

"There's definitely chat that has to happen, but I'm a big believer that when you pick a group of batters at the start of a series you've got to give them at least two or three games," Vaughan said on Fox Cricket.

"... I just wonder whether Marnus Labuschagne, it's worth him going and playing some grade cricket at the weekend, [to] get out and hit a few balls. Rather than arriving at the Adelaide Test match, facing the pink ball and you're seeing Jasprit Bumrah once again, is it worth him going back to his roots and playing grade cricket?"

On SEN radio following the Perth disaster, the prospect was raised of Labuschagne being given time away to "recharge", but Healy wasn't in favour.

"That's a dropping for mine. That's what it's called. Dropping, go and recharge and get runs again and make three hundreds and we'll look at you. That's the attitude. It's not just go away and recharge," said the legendary wicketkeeper.

"I'm giving them [all of Australia's specialist batsmen] Adelaide ... I think Adelaide might help them because it won't bounce as much."

Next summer's home Ashes series had long loomed as a possible farewell tour for many of Australia's champion cricketers, including Steve Smith and Usman Khawaja.

But in the wake of the calamitous showing in the first Test, it appears feasible that they may not have the luxury of going out on their own terms.

Nathan McSweeney's match tally of 10 runs in Perth made for the lowest by an Australian Test opener on debut since Andrew Hilditch in 1979, but there's a school of thought that he may be better placed to thrive in Adelaide, where South Australia's captain has played the majority of his first-class cricket.

"We let it go [the ball] as though it was a hand grenade [in Perth]," Healy added.

"So we've got to get our head over that ball and knock it into the cover gap and get a single and then [make] the bowler do something differently, and maybe we'll get a bad ball somewhere else, a touch shorter or a touch fuller or a touch straighter. We've got to be ready to create that pressure and then pounce on the balls they give us.

"I'm giving them Adelaide. They can do it, they can do it, as long as they train smart this week and get really fresh and fit and strong."