'We want runs is the bottom line': Australia head coach's clear-cut message to Labuschagne after historic defeat to Bangladesh

Australia suffered a shocking nine-wicket defeat to Bangladesh in the first of the two-Test series. While Australia are still topping the World Test Champions (WTC) 2025-27 standings, several former cricketers have called for changes in the top order. The no.3 batter Marnus Labuschagne is on thin ice. Ahead of the second Test, head coach Andrew McDonald is not looking to drop Labuschagne but wants him to score big runs.

Dropped last year on West Indies tour, Labuschagne registered scores of 1 and 31, not doing himself a favour. McDonald was impressed with how Labuschagne batted during his 31-run knock but expects big scores from him. 

"We want runs is the bottom line," McDonald said. "I think it was 31 he got in the second innings, and up until the point he got out, you'd sit there and say he was looking good.

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"He was moving well, he's clipping off his pads, he was getting back through the ball down the ground. So it's easy for me to sit here and try to defend that, but ultimately it's 31. It's not a big score. He's lacked runs. He feels that. We feel that. We're working incredibly hard as a coaching group.”

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McDonald is currently focused on helping Labuschagne get out of the rut. He reveals that the top-order batter is disappointed to miss out on an opportunity in the second innings to help Australia post a challenging target.

Who can replace Labuschagne?

In the current squad, Josh Inglis is an option to replace Labuschagne but the latter may get another chance. in the second Test which begins on August 22 at Great Barrier Reef Arena, Mackay.

Meanwhile, former opener Matthew Hayden has called for Matt Renshaw to return to the side. Renshaw is Labuschagne’s Queensland teammate scored 499 runs in the previous Sheffield Shield season. He averaged nearly 50 and scored three tons in addition to a half-century. In the same season, Labuschagne had scored with 525 525 runs from 14 innings, averaging 37.50, including two centuries and a fifty.

Labuschagne’s struggle in WTC 2025-27

The 32-year-old hasn't scored a fifty in last eight innings. His last century was against England in away Ashes in 2023. In the ongoing WTC cycle, he has scored 291 runs from 12 innings, averaging 26.45. He has just two half-centuries in the ongoing two-year tournament.