Australia have dropped Marnus Labuschagne for the four-Test series at home to New Zealand.
The squad has yet to be announced for a tournament that starts in Perth on December 9, but chairman of selectors George Bailey has revealed that hurler Labuschagne will not be selected after averaging just 23.66 in 10 Tests since returning for the Ashes last winter.
The 32-year-old amassed just 131 runs in three Tests at an average of 21.83 during Australia Last 2-1 series loss in South Africa and has gone 49 innings without a Test century, stretching into the 2023 Ashes series in England.
Bailey told reporters: “We will not be considering Marn for selection.
“I just wanted to clear that up as there will be, or has been, a lot of speculation about his place in the team. I think this gives him some space and clears up the guesswork a bit.”
“We all know how good Marnus can be at his best”
Bailey did not rule out the possibility that Labuschagne could force his way back for the tour of India early next year or next summer’s Ashes series.
He said: “It’s still possible, absolutely. I think we all know how good and how effective Marnus can be at his best. But this performance hasn’t been there.
“He’s pragmatic. He knows the basic nature of being a top-six batsman is to score runs and that hasn’t happened.”
Labuschagne’s last Test century came more than three years ago in England
Labuschagne, who hit 10 centuries in his first 30 Tests and was once ranked number one in the ICC batting rankings, was dropped briefly in last year’s West Indies tour, only to return for the 2025-2026 Ashes after five hundreds in 10 Queen-Seat-Red-ball innings.
Bailey added of the right-hander, who has scored just one hundred in his last 38 Tests: “He’s always been an outstanding performer at first-class level, so I expect that to be the case (again).
“There’s no message to come back and do anything in particular. I think the coin is pretty clear. The plan is just to come back and focus on playing as well as possible for Queensland for a period of time.”
After playing New Zealand in Perth, Australia will face the Black Caps in Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney before taking on India in five Tests from January 21.
The team’s next assignment is a series of white-ball games at home Englandwith the three ODIs starting in Perth on Friday before the five T20s from November 21.
Australia will welcome England for three ODIs and five T20s later this month
Schedule for England’s tour of Australia
ODIs 3.30 UK time, with T20s 8.15 UK time
- First ODI: Friday 13 November (Perth)
- Second ODI: Sunday 15 November (Adelaide)
- Third ODI: Wednesday 18 November (Hobart)
- 1st T20I: Saturday 21 November (Melbourne)
- Second T20I: Tuesday 24 November (Carrara)
- 3rd T20I: Friday 27 November (Brisbane)
- Fourth T20I: Sunday 29 November (Sydney)
- Fifth T20I: Wednesday 2 December (Canberra)
