Labuschagne targets Shield runs after losing Test place
The Queensland captain has three Sheffield Shield matches before the mid-season break to press for selection for the India tour beginning in January.
Marnus Labuschagne says he must build a substantial tally of domestic runs to regain his Australian Test place after being dropped for the four-Test series against New Zealand. The 32-year-old is targeting a return for the five-Test tour of India, which starts in January.
Queensland have three Sheffield Shield fixtures before the competition pauses mid-season, beginning with Tasmania at the Gabba. Labuschagne said his priority was helping Queensland win, while turning promising starts into bigger scores.
He has gone 49 Test innings without a century. Across his past 11 innings, he has reached 30 on six occasions but scored no more than 48. His Test batting average remains 42.64.
Reflecting on Australia's 2-1 series defeat in South Africa, Labuschagne said uncertainty about his approach had contributed to his dismissals. He described a conflict between responding to the team's needs and his own urgency to make a big score, with pressure over his position adding to his mistakes.
Selection chairman George Bailey said strong domestic performances could earn Labuschagne a Test recall. Labuschagne, who scored 0 and 4 in the final Cape Town Test, said he had known his place was at risk and viewed the omission as a chance to reset.
