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Labuschagne lifts lid on mental hurdles amid Ashes debate
SEN • September 18th, 2025 10:38 am
As he looks to revive his Ashes selection hopes, Marnus Labuschagne has lifted the lid on the mental obstacles he's had to deal with in the fall out form being dropped for the West Indies tour in July.
The Queenslander was dropped by selectors after playing 53 consecutive Tests for his country. He failed to reach triple figures in the last 16 of those 53 matches.
In the West Indies he was replaced by teen Sam Konstas who endured a miserable series finishing with just 50 at an average of 8.33 - the lowest average by an Aussie opener in a Test tour of the West Indies since 1984.
With the pressure on Australia's top order batsmen and just two months until the opening test of the Ashes series gets under way in Perth, Labuschagne's 130 off 118 balls for the Bulls this week will have gone a long way in settling his selection anxieties.
"When you have a few low scores I was getting too engrained in my technique and getting away from playing an trusting my instincts," he told SENQ Breakfast. "You get into that and it can be tough to get out of that space as quickly as you hope.
"The time I have had between not playing in the West Indies and now, I have had time to reflect and get my game in a spot that I want.
"I've played probably 9 or 10 games since, just having time in the middle, valuing time in the middle as opposed to hitting balls in the net.
"You're really clear on what options you want to take and evaluating your risks.
"In One Day (cricket) you can feel that you have to rush the game rather than let it come to you. It's about taking it one ball at a time. When you’re not playing well you always feel like you have to rush it."
Amid relentless debate about Australia's best XI for the series against England, Labuschagne said he is taking nothing for granted and will use all the opportunities he has ahead of him to stake his claim for a spot.
"I'm not taking any runs for granted," he continued. "I think the mindset when you get 100, for me it was about the game situation, how to get the team to the most runs.
"Naturally when you have faced 90-100 balls, you have a good idea of the wicket and the bowlers, you have a nice read on it. But I haven’t scored the runs I have wanted, if I get 100, I want every run I can."
The Bulls next face Western Australia this Sunday in the One-day Cup.
