Marnus dodges axe but major ‘problem’ hangs over Test squad
Marnus Labuschagne has retained his spot in Australia’s men’s Test squad to tour South Africa next month.
Cricket Australia on Monday announced a 16-player squad for the three matches, starting in Durban on October 9.
Marnus Labuschagne of Australia. Getty Images
The squad includes the additions of Cooper Connolly, Matthew Kuhnemann, and Michael Neser. Connolly is one player putting heat on Labuschagne, who hasn’t scored a Test century in three years.
Australia squad for South Africa Tests
Pat Cummins, (c), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cooper Connolly, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Matthew Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Michael Neser, Matthew Renshaw, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Beau Webster
Former Australian captain Mark Taylor on Sunday continued calls for the Test side to be regenerated after the 1-1 draw against Bangladesh.
Labuschagne scored 1, 31 and 4 across the two Tests against Bangladesh. His last Test century was in July 2023.
The problem for selectors is there’s no one knocking the door down to replace him.
Nathan McSweeney, Ollie Peake and Campbell Kellaway are the names that have been mentioned. They will head to India for an Australia A red ball tour this month and could play themselves into the Test team.
Taylor believes Labuschagne’s form has “created a real problem” for Australia.
“I think it’s really going to be a toss-up for the selectors this one ... he’s the last one of the older generation that selectors wanted to move on, and I can understand why because he brings so much to the table as a 32-year-old,” he said on Nine’s Wide World of Sports.
“He’s not past it but the last couple of years he’s been well below his best.
“Australia has a problem, there’s the batting issue and one of their best players, Steve Smith, he’s not far from retirement, Marnus is supposed to be the logical senior guy of the crux of that batting order, but he’s struggling so they might have to move him on.”
Then comes the overall age of the squad with Josh Hazlewood (35), Scott Boland (37), Mitchell Starc (36) and Nathan Lyon (38) all near retirement age.
“Then you’ve got all the bowlers, Pat Cummins is 33, all the other bowlers are over 35 and 36 so we’ve got to start having a succession plan with this Australian cricket plan,” Taylor said.
“So it might be time they have to make that call and say no, we’ve now got to find some young guys.
“They’ve got Ollie Peake, Cooper Connolly who I like, left-handed bat, left-handed spinner, he’ll come into the reckoning.
“Joel Davies is in the (ODI) squad now. They’ve got to start bringing some guys into that squad to regenerate for the future.”
Australia has made steady plans in the past to introduce younger players to the set-up.
Connolly made his Test debut in Sri Lanka and 20-year-old Sam Konstas lit up Australia with his short red-ball stint before being dumped last year. Jhye Richardson also returned in last season’s Ashes.
Hayden Kerr and Joel Davies. Getty
Peake debuted in the ODIs against Pakistan this year too while Xavier Bartlett and Spencer Johnson has become regulars in white-ball cricket.
The Australia A squad to tour India is a glimpse into the future too with Brendan Doggett, Jack Edwards, Peter Handscomb, Liam Hatcher, Sam Harper, Kellaway, Konstas, McSweeney, Fergus O’Neill, Todd Murphy, Josh Philippe, Richardson, Corey Rocchiccioli, Jason Sangha and Liam Scott all selected.
Doggett and Handscomb are the two players over 30 in that squad.
Lance Morris is the other bowler that has been on Australia’s radar for a long time but has battled injury issues. He debuted in ODI cricket in 2024.
