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Marnus Labuschagne had a rough outing in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy's Perth Test against India. He could only score five runs, combining both the innings, which contributed to Australia's hefty defeat in the series opener. Meanwhile, Marnus Labuschagne's mentor, Neil D'Costa, has advised the struggling Australian batter against overtraining. Following Australia's disappointing 295-run loss to Jasprit Bumrah's Team India in the first Test, Labuschagne engaged in intense net sessions and is expected to continue individual training before rejoining the team for the upcoming pink-ball Test in Adelaide.
Labuschagne's recent form has been a cause for concern. After achieving the No.1 Test batter ranking in December 2022, his form has seen a big slump. In 2024, he has managed to score only 245 runs in six Tests, averaging 24.50 with a highest score of 90.
Like Virat Kohli you have to keep trusting yourself: Marnus Labuschagne's mentor
"I'd probably just half what he usually does. Just try and clear it up a bit. Keep working on reacting more, not having such rigid plans. Every batter goes through this. Almost everyone around 30 years old, don't know why it's that number, seems to have this glitch. He's a guy we all know, he loves playing cricket. He never leaves a stone unturned. He's super fit. Does he overthink things? I don't know, possibly everyone does,” D'Costa told ESPNcricinfo.
D'Costa also suggested Labuschagne to learn from Virat Kohli's approach to regaining form. Despite a recent slump, Kohli managed to deliver a magnificent century in the second innings of the Perth Test. D'Costa believes that rather than overexerting himself, Labuschagne should focus on maintaining a balanced approach to his training and gameplay.
"When someone gets to the stage where they are the No. 1 player in the world, they are going to become a target. He couldn't keep going. He'd be averaging 80. At some stage, don't want to say it had to happen...it happens to a lot of players. They try a bit too hard and like [Virat] Kohli you have to keep trusting yourself, trusting your processes, trust what you do. Go back and find a way the next day,” he further added.
In the Perth Test, Labuschagne struggled to find his rhythm, scoring only two runs off 52 balls before being dismissed by Mohammed Siraj. In the second innings, he was once again dismissed, this time by Jasprit Bumrah. Labuschagne will be eager to rectify his poor form in the second Test in Adelaide.
Meanwhile, the stunning win against Australia has catapulted India to top of the World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-2025 standings. With a current percentage of 61.11 points won, India has surpassed Australia, who now occupies the second position with 57.69%. To secure a place in the WTC final, India need to win three of the remaining four Test matches against Australia. The second Test of the series is scheduled to take place in Adelaide from December 6 to 10.
