Australian batter Marnus Labuschagne faces criticism after another low score against South Africa. His 46 consecutive Test innings without a century since the 2023 Ashes have prompted fans to question his technique and demand his exclusion from the playing XI.
Australia batter Marnus Labuschagne’s struggle to find consistency and rhythm in Test cricket has intensified calls for his omission from the playing XI, following another disappointing outing during the series against South Africa.
In Australia’s first innings of the second Test at St George’s Park in Gqeberha on Day 4, Marnus Labuschagne was dismissed for just 14 off 25 balls, extending his alarming lean patch in the longest format. In the series opener at Kingsmead in Durban, the right-handed batter scored 74 across both innings, but failed to build on that foundation.
Despite the backing of the Australian management and skipper Pat Cummins, Marnus Labuschagne’s search for answers, his prolonged drought without a major score, has left his long-term position at number three under intense scrutiny.
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Marnus Labuschagne’s Post-Ashes 2023 Slump in Form Raises Concern
Marnus Labuschagne was touted as someone who could prolong the No.3 spot in the Test batting line-up, given his extraordinary rise following his entry as Steve Smith’s concussion substitute in 2019. However, Labuchagne’s current form has seen him go extended periods without reaching three figures in 46 consecutive Test innings.
The Queensland batter’s Test career can be divided into two halves - one is the phase before the 2023 Ashes, and another is his post-Ashes slump. From 2019 till the 2023 Ashes in England, Marnus Labuschagne was in his peak form, establishing himself as one of the core pillars of Australia’s middle order,
In 41 matches, Labuschagne aggregated 3708 runs, including 11 centuries and 16 fifties, at an average of 55.34 in 72 innings. He was the leading batter for Australia in Tests during the period, outscoring his peers and consistently occupying the top spot in the ICC Test Rankings. He had firmly cemented his place as a reliable No.3 batter in Australia’s Test playing XI.
Post-Ashes 2023, Labuchagne’s form has been a serious concern, with his numbers dropping drastically. In subsequent 24 Test matches, the Queensland batter has aggregated 1029 runs, including 9 fifties, at an average of 24.50 across 44 innings, without recording a single century. His highest score during this period remains a gritty 90 against New Zealand at Christchurch in March 2024.
In the home Ashes 2025/26 series, Labuschagne had a moderate outing, scoring 259 runs, including two fifties, at an average of 28.77 in 10 innings, further highlighting his inability to convert crucial starts into big hundreds during a major series.
‘That Has to Be Stumps’: Fans Question Labuschagne’s Test Career
Marnus Labuschagne’s prolonged slump in his Test form has sparked debate on social media, especially on X (formerly Twitter), with fans and cricket enthusiasts questioning his place in Australia’s playing XI and calling for selectors to consider alternative options.
Taking to their X handles, many fans expressed concern over Labuschagne’s prolonged slump, with some questioning his technical weaknesses and others suggesting that Australia should drop the right-handed batter from the Test playing XI.
Another section of fans also argued that his past performances should not guarantee him a place in the side, while others continued to hope that he would rediscover his form. Some fans even questioned whether the right-handed batter had reached the end of his Test career.
In his Test career, Marnus Labuschagne has aggregated 4830 runs, including 11 centuries and 25 fifties, at an average of 43.51 in 67 matches.
As Australia began their second-innings batting after being bundled out for 99 in the first innings, trailing by 326 runs after South Africa enforced the follow-on, all eyes will once again be on Labuschagne to see if he can step up under immense pressure and play a career-defining knock to save the match for his side.
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