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Healy: Why this Ashes series is Marnus' Justin Langer moment
Ian Healy • September 19th, 2025 11:40 am
Is it security and stability that Australia needs when they take on the Ashes?
Our top order is Usman Khawaja, Sam Konstas, Cam Green, Steve Smith, Travis Head and Beau Webster.
There are a couple of issues with that, but let's take on the Konstas position at one. He is a leading contender for it because, thankfully, his form and his technique have come back.
Who's going to accompany Usman Khawaja?
New South Wales: They've got Kurtis Patterson and Sam himself, are the two.
Victoria: A fella called Campbell Kellaway, who's over playing for Australia at the moment, and he did well in the first innings against India.
And then there’s Marcus Harris, a Haverhill cricketer. He's played Tests, and he could do the job.
Tasmania: I think one of the leading contenders is Jake Weatherald, who's a South Australian gone to Tasmania, a left-hand puncher. He can take the bowling on and play quite aggressively at times, and he's worked very hard to get his performance back where it was several years ago. His form and performances are there.
South Australia: I've got no one. A fella called Henry Hunt is there, but I think he's plateaued, and he's not in this list.
Western Australia: Have got senior players. Mitch Marsh, has he finished with the Australian set-up? Is he an opener? Cameron Bancroft is still going to churn out runs this year. And Sam Whiteman has got a tremendous reputation for being a man who could do that job, a left-handed, former wicketkeeper-batsman, now just a batsman.
Queensland: The number one prospect in Marnus Labuschagne, and it's fantastic that the full face of his bat is back in play. If Marnus continues that at 31 years of age, he's got five more years left to do a job for Australia.
If he beats Sam Konstas to that role, Marnus can do a great job in the Ashes, and then he can bring on the next opener, who might be Sam Konstas when Usman leaves.
For the Ashes, we’re now in form territory. You're not going to have an experiment now.
So, Sam Konstas, for example, I think the best time for him to return is when Usman is ready to depart.
Usman is talking, maybe after the Ashes and that way Konstas comes back in under a much cooler spotlight.
Marnus can go in now and do the job.
Matt Renshaw's a player who's capable of being there as well.
So, Queensland's got two good contenders.
The priority is the current partner for Usman.
It seems like Usman's locked in, but he'll need runs too in the four games he's going to play in the lead-up to these Ashes.
Let's hope he gets his feet going and that position is not to be worried about.
Form to win us the Ashes now, and we'll worry about the future after this series.
Then there’s going to be Cam Green and Beau Webster, two all-rounders in our top 6.
That's not the best balance. One of them will probably break down if they both start bowling.
Kurtis Patterson, Mitch Owens from Tasmania, Nathan McSweeney and Jason Sangha from South Australia are good candidates to fill those middle-order positions.
We’ve got to tinker with our balance and get some batting specialists and craftsmen in there.
Then, of course, Steve Smith's going to retire within not too long.
So, to me, this is Marnus’ Justin Langer moment.
He's not an opener, but he can open.
JL batted 41 matches in the middle order. He averaged 39.
He got thrown into Michael Slater's position with no notice, played 44 matches and averaged 52.
52 as an opener.
So, Marnus has got that to do, but those middle-order positions and there's a couple that'll be up for grabs.
Marnus has fixed his form, and now he's got a Justin Langer moment he can take on for Australia.
