Marnus Labuschagne Names Top Three Bowlers He Faced On Pitch

Australia’s emerging batter Marnus Labushagne named his Test captain Pat Cummins, Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin and England speedster Jofra Archer as the toughest bowlers he has faced.

Labuschagne made his Test debut against Pakistan in October 2018 in Dubai and since then he has accumulated 2171 runs from 38 innings at an average of 58.68.

Marnus Labuschagne is the first concussed substitute in Test cricket

The Queensland batter became the first like-for-like substitute in Test cricket as he replaced Steve Smith after the latter was hit on the neck by a Jofra Archer bouncer during the Lord’s Test of 2019 Ashes.

However, Labuschagne, just like Smith, had to endure the disastrous blow from Archer as another bouncer crashed into the batter’s helmet. The Australian batter went on to score 59 from 100 deliveries as the match resulted in a draw.

Labuschagne was twice trapped before the wicket for LBW by Archer in Manchester and London in that series.

Labuschagne was also part of the Australian side that lost 1-2 to India last year in the 2020-21 Border Gavaskar Trophy. With 426 runs from eight innings at an average of 53.25, he was the leading run-scorer of the series.

In those four Tests, Labuschagne was twice dismissed by Ashwin in Adelaide and Melbourne.

Ashwin has claimed 430 wickets from 83 matches at an economy rate of 2.77 and an average of 24.23. The Tamil Nadu spinner is India’s third-highest wicket-taker in Test cricket behind Kapil Dev (434) and Anil Kumble (619).

Labuschagne have faced Cummins in Sheffield Shield and Marsh Cup matches between Queensland and New South Wales.

Cummins is currently ranked No
1 Test bowler in the ICC rankings with ratings of 902.

Archer has snapped 42 wickets from 13 Test matches since making his debut in the 2019 Ashes. The England speedster is out of action for almost a year as he has suffered an elbow injury, for which he underwent operations a couple of times.

Marnus Labuschagne is currently the No.1 Test batter

Labuschagne is currently part of the Australian squad that is playing against England in the Ashes 2021-22. He is leading the scoring charts with 286 runs from seven innings, he made 103 in the first innings of the Adelaide Test.

The 27-year-old leapfrogged England Test skipper Joe Root to rank No.1 Test batters in ICC Test rankings on December 22, 2021.

Also Read: Ashes 2021-22: Watch – Marnus Labuschagne Solo Appeals Hilariously For Caught Behind When There’s Daylight Between Ball And Jos Buttler’s Bat