Marnus Labuschagne gets belt treatment from Australia Head Coach; told to learn from india

Australian coach Andrew McDonald expressed disappointment over No.3 batter Marnus Labuschagne's batting in the first innings of the ongoing Perth Test.

Andrew McDonald hoped that Marnus Labuschagne would learn lessons from the first innings, adding that fans would see a different version of him.

Marnus Labuschagne played with an ultra-defensive mindset against India in the first innings. The right-handed batter managed to score just two runs off 52 balls at a strike rate of 3.85 before being dismissed LBW by Mohammed Siraj. His batting approach left fans bewildered, and some voiced their frustration.

Marnus Labuschagne Is Working On His Game As Hard As Ever - Andrew McDonald

Andrew McDonald said that Marnus Labuschagne learned valuable lessons from his first-innings performance. McDonald added that Labuschagne was working hard to refine his approach. He emphasized that a player's mindset and game plan often change depending on the conditions.

“He’s working on his game as hard as ever (but) there’s no doubt he can learn some lessons from the first innings,” McDonald said.

“He was in the nets this morning working through what his method is going to be in the second innings. And clearly, your mindset changes based upon the conditions as well."

Shortened First Innings Alleviates A Lot Of That - Andrew McDonald

Andrew McDonald is not overly concerned about the workload on the bowlers early in the series. McDonald emphasized the importance of managing energy for the second new ball, adding that it will be a key opportunity to make inroads into the game.

“(There are) no real concerns. I think the shortened first innings alleviates a lot of that. It’ll be management into that second new ball (and) making sure that we’ve got the energy for that,” McDonald said.

“That’s our opportunity, our entry point into the game. We’ve got a little bit of work to do before then (but) if we can pick up a few into that second new ball, that gives us the opportunity. That’s where our minds at this stage.”

Australia Avoided Record Low Total Against India In First Innings

Australia narrowly avoided a record-low total against India. They managed to score 104 runs in their first innings, conceding a 46-run lead to the Indian team. However, the Australian bowling attack struggled to make breakthroughs on Saturday. India played two sessions on Day 2 without losing any wickets.

India reached 0-172 at stumps on Day 2, with Yashasvi Jaiswal (90) and KL Rahul (62) unbeaten. The pair's stellar batting performance put India in a strong position, giving them the upper hand for a 1-0 series lead in the five-match Test series in Australia.

Also read: KL Rahul breaks colossal records following sensational performance in Perth Test