IND vs AUS | Would enjoy opening the batting but we will have to wait and see, reveals Marnus Labuschagne
Marnus Labuschagne is ready to step up as Australia's opener
|After David Warner’s groin injury, Marnus Labuschagne has revealed that he would certainly enjoy opening the batting in his absence but he stated that one has to wait and see. Alongside that, Labuschagne backed his Queensland teammate Joe Burns for opening the batting in the Test series.
While Australia walked away with a decisive victory to set up an ODI series win against India, they lost one of their star players - David Warner in the second ODI - with an apparent groin injury. The opener who made a valiant attempt to pick up the ball in the field had to walk off gingerly, which has also ruled him out of the remainder of the white-ball series, with Cricket Australia even roping in a replacement in the form of D’Arcy Short, who has donned the role in the past.
With talks of the management promoting the talented Queenslander Marnus Labuschange at the top of the order, the right-hander revealed that he would enjoy opening the batting. However, despite being ready for the opportunity, Labuschagne admitted that we will have to wait and see what is the next step.
“Certainly, if I got asked to open the batting, absolutely it’s an opportunity that I would enjoy doing. But we’ll have to wait and see,” Labuschagne told reporters, reported Hindustan Times.
He also called it an ‘opportunity’ for someone else to step up in the strong Australian top order and make runs. With David Warner and Aaron Finch having laid the platform in the first two wins, their partnership would have been key for setting up the T20I series.
“He’s been a massive part of us winning this series and it is not great that we’ve lost him but like anything, it provides an opportunity for someone else to step up in the top order and make runs,” Labuschagne added.
Warner’s injury also put him on a race against time to be fit for the first Test at the Adelaide Oval, with Joe Burns and Will Pucovski looking favourites to walk out as the openers. Queensland teammate Labuschagne reckoned that Burns is not too far away from a couple of big scores. He also praised the right-hander for being a handy part of their successful summer last year.
“Joe’s averaging 40 in test cricket, so he’s certainly established and he’s got four test hundreds. He’s a very good player,” said Labuschagne.
“Although he hasn’t scored the runs in Shield cricket that he’d like, he got 99 against Pakistan in the first test last summer and he negotiated through that new ball period almost every time last summer, so he’s not really far away from a couple of really big scores.”
