The Australian skipper Pat Cummins expects to see active Marnus Labuschagne during the pink-ball test of the Border Gavaskar Trophy.
With Australia hunting for No.3 sport, it appears less likely he will be used extensively as a medium pacer bowler despite question marks over how many over Mitchell Marsh has in him.
Labuschagne had a dip in his form in recent years and has come under scrutiny after his first innings in Perth where he made only 2 out of 55 balls after which he was dismissed by Jasprit Burmrah and being lbw for 3.
His form has been troublesome for a while with 90 of the 123 runs, he had made in his last 10 tests coming from one innings in Christchurch.
During the net sessions in Adelaide, there has been a noticeable urgency to his strokeplay and indications he is looking for ways to rotate the strike. Labuschagne has an impressive records at Adelaide Oval with an average of 71.75 and three centuries.
“He’s training well like he always does, hitting millions of balls,” Cummins said.
“It’s pretty impossible to kind of dismiss or ignore some of the commentary about perhaps being a little bit more proactive, so I think you’ve seen that side of it in the nets.”
“The challenge is always going out there and making sure you have that mindset. But he’s been great like he always is. Always working on things, trying to plan how he’s going to score his hundred this Test.”
Cummins accepted that Australia were not up to the mark in Perth, Cummins was hopeful that the batters would be better for having faced the India attack, most significantly Jasprit Bumrah, even though it did not go well.
“I hope there’s some lessons learnt,” he said. “The good thing is, batting and bowling we’ve now had a look at them, they’ve had a look at us as well, but you get a look at some of the bowling plans that you want to implement.”
“The same with the batters, they know how they are going to be attacked first up. I’m sure – well, I really hope – everyone’s kind of learnt a bit and come back here slightly better prepared having had a look at what they are going to throw at us.”
Meanwhile Marsh was been included in Australia’s playing Xl from the test with Scottland being replaced the injured Josh Hazlewood.
Cummins has confirmed that Marsh has been suffering back stiffness since the white-ball tour of the UK, was confident the all-roundr would be able to be part of the attack despite not doing any bowling in the lead up.
“I’d say more likely turn to the fast bowlers a bit more. In Perth, Joshy was getting a little bit sore as well there towards the end, so there’s a bit of preservation there. Whereas this Test everyone’s fit and firing.”
“[We] made the call with the medical staff over the last couple of days to give him a couple of days off bowling, but expect him to warm up and if required [he] will bowl,” Cummins said.
“Guessing he would be required at some point… prioritise his overs for the games rather than kind of using up some of them in the nets.”
“I’d say more likely turn to the fast bowlers a bit more,” Cummins said.
“In Perth, Joshy was getting a little bit sore as well there towards the end, so there’s a bit of preservation there. Whereas this Test everyone’s fit and firing so if that remains the case as a general rule you try and rely on your four main guys.”
Significantly, Cummins mentioned Boland’s ability to bowl long spells as he returns to the Test side for the first time last year’s Ashes.
“All last summer he was geared up to go and no one fell over,” Cummins said.
“Feels like it’s been quite a while [since he’s played]. As a captain, it’s pretty awesome to have someone like Scotty come straight in, you know he can bowl a huge amount of overs if you need. He’s super consistent, he’s performed at this level and looks ready to go.”
“That’s probably the right call in hindsight,” he said. “I think in previous years where he’s kept bowling, it’s probably turned that one week injury into a three or four or five week injury whereas this year seems a little bit different and he’s really confident.”
With Australia’s playing 11 revealed, it will be interesting how India will line up their playing 11. The second test of the series will begin on December 06 at Adelaide Oval.
