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Why Whateley would drop Labuschagne for second Sri Lanka Test
Lachlan Geleit • February 3rd, 2025 12:51 pm
Gerard Whateley would drop Marnus Labuschagne for the second Test against Sri Lanka if he were an Australian selector.
The No. 3 made 20 in Australia’s only innings in the first Test while the rest of his top-order teammates all cashed in with scores of 57 or more.
Even though Whateley would stick with Labuschagne in the World Test Championship Final against South Africa in June, he’d be giving Sam Konstas a shot at first drop in Sri Lanka to give the teenager some experience in the conditions, all while allowing Labuschagne to work on his craft in the nets.
“I would drop Marnus for this next Test match and I'd give Konstas the Test in Sri Lanka,” Whateley told SEN Mornings.
“I reckon they were spot on with what they did for this Test match, and now I'd give the youngster a look at it because Marnus is not in great form.
“Tell him, ‘Go away, find your form, you'll be there for the Test championship, but we think there's a greater worth’, that's all.
“I just think they should break the nexus of axings and droppings and go, ‘Hey, we're just going to pick the guys who are in form, we're going to play them, and you go back and figure it out, and you'll be back in no time’.”
Veteran cricket journalist Robert Craddock also supports Konstas finding a place in the XI for the second Test, even adding that he feels Australia would have been better off playing the 19-year-old over Josh Inglis in the first Test who made a brilliant ton.
“It’s one of those ones when you're winning, you can do that sort of thing,” Craddock said.
“I must admit, I would have played Konstas in the first Test, and this sounds like such a ridiculous statement, but even though Inglis has made a century on debut I still feel Australia would have been better off long-term playing Konstas because you just can't buy this experience.
“He's going to be there in a couple of years when Australia's playing India over a gruelling four of five Test summer in India. Whereas Inglis, he was terrific, but will he be another Martin Love? His last Test he scored a century in it.”
The second Test between Sri Lanka and Australia in Galle begins on Thursday afternoon (AEDT). Listen to every ball LIVE on SEN and the SEN app.
