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Important SN update for SouthlandSmith has 'no doubt' Labuschagne will return, preaches patience for Konstas and Green
Lachlan Geleit • July 1st, 2025 10:10 am
Steve Smith has no doubt that Marnus Labuschagne will make his way back into the Australian Test XI.
The Queenslander was dropped for the first Test against the West Indies after playing 53 consecutive Tests for his country. He failed to reach triple figures in the last 16 of those 53 matches.
While Labuschagne ultimately was axed due to a lack of output, Smith saw some signs from the 31-year-old in the World Test Championship Final against South Africa where he scored 17 and 22 that some form was beginning to emerge.
Now out of the XI, Smith expects the former No.1-ranked Test batsman to work on tidying up some aspects of his technique before returning to the Aussie side sooner rather than later.
“He’s actually in a pretty good place,” Smith told Bharat Sundaresan in an exclusive SEN Cricket interview.
“I think I said it after the last game - I thought he batted really well in the World Test Championship Final without going on to make a big score.
“I thought his movements, the positions he was getting himself into and the way he was in particular clipping the ball through mid-wicket (was great).
“I think when he's doing that from an off-stump line, I feel like that's when he's in a good place, his balance is good, and his movements are pretty good. So yeah, I thought he was batting well.
“He’s obviously not played the last Test match, and he’s got an opportunity to work on a few things that he probably wants to work on without the pressures of playing in the game as well.
“At his best, he's as good as anyone in the world and I've no doubt he'll get back there.”
Replacing Labuschagne in the top order after the WTC Final was teenager Sam Konstas, while Cameron Green is now batting in the Queenslander’s traditional No.3 slot.
While both Konstas (3 and 5) and Green (3 and 15) both failed with the bat in Australia’s first Test win in Barbados, Smith is certain both will come good given time in the XI.
“I think for them it's just about being patient,” Smith said.
“Cam's done it before in Test cricket, he scored runs, so he's not foreign to that. Maybe batting at number three but I’ve always said it, even when I went up to open the batting, it's just a number.
“Sometimes you feel more comfortable in a certain position, but it's also just a number. You can come in at any time when the ball's new or whatever when you lose a few early wickets.
“I think we've just got to be patient with them, they're talented players, they've got good skills and I'm sure they'll come good.”
Smith, who missed the first Test with a finger injury, told SEN that he expects to return for the second Test.
That clash between the Aussies and West Indies in Grenada begins at midnight on Friday (AEST). Listen to every ball LIVE on SEN and the SEN app.
