Smith's special text to Labuschagne ahead of The Ashes

SEN  •  October 21st, 2025 2:58 pm
Smith's special text to Labuschagne ahead of The Ashes
It’s a month today until the Ashes start and Steve Smith has given an unwanted update on Pat Cummins and a ringing endorsement for good mate Marnus Labuschagne.
Smith, who has just arrived in Australia from New York, will get some domestic cricket under his belt with NSW in the Sheffield Shield before the first Test against England in Perth on November 21.
He will captain the side in Cummins’ absence at Optus Stadium and the Gabba with the Adelaide Test now the earliest possible date earmarked for a return – albeit an unlikely one.
Cummins, who is struggling with a stress fracture in his back, has said he wants at least a month of bowling under his belt before he is fit to play.
Whatever happens, Smith is not writing the skipper’s Ashes off entirely.
“I saw him out here the other day. He started his running and I was in here training as well. I think he obviously hasn’t started bowling yet, but he gets into things pretty quickly,” Smith said.
“He probably doesn’t need as much (preparation) as Josh (Hazlewood) or Starcy (Mitchell Starc).
“Things can turn around quickly so we’ll see where everything lands with him.
“He’s obviously got a few things to tick off and get into his bowling, but he was in good spirits and the team’s obviously better with him in it for sure.
“Hopefully he can get right and if he plays three Tests or five Tests or two Tests … as many as we can get out of him, it’s the best for the team.”
Smith was also asked about the prospect of Marnus Labuschagne returning to Australia’s top order having been dropped for the West Indies tour in July.
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The Queenslander looks to have benefitted from time out of the spotlight with has four centuries in all formats in the past month as well as a late call-up to the ODI side currently playing India.
“I sent him a message a couple of days ago saying how proud I was of him,” Smith said of Labuschagne.
“He’s obviously got dropped from the team. He’s gone back and he’s got four hundreds in five hits. It’s a pretty big statement.
“He’s obviously not selected yet, but he’s done a lot of things right.
“It’s always tough when you get dropped. We’ve all been there at some point in our careers.
“I think he knew he probably wasn’t batting as well as he had been four years ago, when he was scoring a mountain of runs.
“My advice to him was to stop thinking so technically. Just go and play the game, watch the ball and react.
“I think he’s been doing that really beautifully and he’s played so nicely.
“He can open, as we saw in the Test Championship Final, he can bat three, he’s versatile.
“I don’t think he needs to change anything if that’s the case. Just play the game, play how he has been.”
Out of the spotlight himself, Smith has been in new York preparing for the forthcoming series with England.
“I’ve been training quite hard,” he explained. “I’ve been doing a lot of lifting, trying to get a bit stronger.
"I did all my strength tests yesterday and they’re as good as they’ve ever been.
“I feel like I’m ready for a big summer.”
The first Test between Australia and England begins on November 21 at Optus Stadium. Catch every ball of the Ashes on the Sport Nation app via SEN.
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