"It can happen" - Mark Taylor optimistic of Marnus Labuschagne rediscovering his best touch after recent dip
Former Australian captain Mark Taylor remains unfazed by Marnus Labuschagne's marked dip in form in Tests in recent times. Taylor believes oppositions have started figuring out how to bowl better to Labuschagne, who he reckons must find a way out of it.
Having started his Test career with a bang, the South African born-batter's average in the format touched 60 in no time. However, he averaged 34.91 in Tests this year. The right-hander managed only one century in 13 matches in 2023 and ended the year with a single-figure score.
Speaking to Wide World of Sports, here's what the former Aussie opener said about Labuschagne, who was dismissed for four in Australia's second innings in the second Test against Pakistan:
"So he's gone from the guy averaging 30-odd in first class cricket to 60 in Test cricket, there's no doubt he's had this magnificent start to his career. It can happen, because you honestly start believing you're a better player than what you maybe showed in first class cricket, and you start playing like a better player. Couple that with sides not knowing where to bowl to you… now he's become a big wicket for sides."
Labuschagne's only Test hundred in 2023 came against England in Manchester. However, it came under extremely testing circumstances and conditions against a well-knit bowling attack.
The 29-year-old also made an invaluable half-century in the first innings of the Boxing Day Test against Pakistan, top-scoring with 63 runs from 155 balls.
"You don't have great years every year" - Mark Taylor
Taylor underlined that it's inevitable for every batter to go through patchy form, but threw his weight behind Labuschagne to rediscover his best. The 59-year-old added:
"You look at Steve Smith today (Thursday), he was also a bit edgy all day and couldn't find his form. So there's no doubt sides are bowling better to them, and Marnus will just have to find a way of getting his form back, which I'm sure he can do. He's not going through anything that any Test cricketer who plays for five to 10 years doesn't go through."
"You don't have great years every year … he's just got to now work out how he can turn that around to go back to where he was."
With Australia leading the three-Test series against Pakistan, the second fixture at MCG lies at a knife's edge. Australia were bowled out for 262 in their second innings and set Pakistan a 317-run target.