SL vs AUS: I Have Learned A Lot From How Joe Root Went About His Game In Sri Lanka – Marnus Labuschagne

Australian batter Marnus Labuschagne will take a cue from England’s Joe Root and emulate his success in Sri Lanka.

Labuschagne, the No.1 ranked Test batter at the moment, is set to play his first Test in the subcontinent when Australia play a couple of Tests against Sri Lanka at the end of this month.

Joe Root played phenomenally in Sri Lanka: Marnus Labuschagne

The 27-year-old Australian is keen to repeat Root’s heroics with the bat in the island nation. The former England skipper amassed 426 runs in four innings at a staggering average of 106.50.

Root scored a phenomenal 228 in Galle and followed it with 186 in the second Test as England swept Sri Lanka 2-0 in the two-match series.

“For me, it’s my first real subcontinent challenge against spin, it’s about conquering that challenge,” Labuschagne told BBC Sport Wales.

“Joe Root played phenomenally over there, I’ve learned a lot from how he went about his game there,” he added.

As a team we want to be the best in the world: Marnus Labuschagne

Australia hammered England 4-0 in the Ashes early in January followed by the historic 1-0 win against Pakistan in March. The Pat Cummins-led side is currently leading the charts of the ICC World Test Championship 2021-23.

Labuschagne believes the team will continue their winning run in Sri Lanka in the upcoming two-match Test series.

“As a team we want to be the best in the world, it doesn’t matter where you take us, we want to be winning games and I certainly think we can do that in Sri Lanka,” Labuschagne said. 

“I’ll have to get used to conditions, the heat and sweating it out, which is something we haven’t had the last few games” he added. 

Australia will play three T20 Internationals and five One Day Internationals before they take Sri Lanka in two Tests.

Labuschagne is part of Australia’s Test and ODIs squad for the Sri Lanka tour. The first T20I begins on June 7 whereas the first Test will kick off on June 29.

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