Labuschagne Reverts To Ending Technique Obsession For Comeback To Test Team

(MENAFN- IANS) Brisbane, Sep 3 (IANS) Top-order batter Marnus Labuschagne said he has reverted to ending his obsession over batting technique in a bid to reclaim his spot in Australia's Test team for the upcoming Ashes series, starting on November 21 in Perth.

Labuschagne was dropped for Australia's three-match Test tour in the West Indies in June after low returns as an opener in the side's defeat in the World Test Championship final. He has played 58 Tests so far, but registering just one century in his 53 innings culminated in his omission from Australia's squad for the trip to the Caribbean.

"My technique, over time, hasn't been where I wanted it to be, and probably there's been a little bit too much time and focus going into trying to get that right, rather than just playing with what I've got. But it's been a nice time to reset, be able to recalibrate and go, 'Okay I missed that West Indies series, how am I going to get myself ready to play the Ashes?'

"That's obviously the ultimate goal – to be back in that team come the first Test. It's been a nice break to be a little bit more out of the spotlight, be able to go away and go, 'Okay, this is where I want to get my game to'. A few technical changes that I've made that I've been able to hone in on for three months now and really get my batting where I want it to be.

"The benefit is you know you've done it before, right? Two years ago I was one of the best batters in the world. You know that it's there and you know you've just got to go back to the (drawing) board and find that consistency, that mental clarity, to go out there and perform," Labuschagne was quoted as saying by com on Wednesday.

If Labuschagne was to be back in the Test team, he could be considered to bat at his usual number three spot if Cameron Green moves down the order. Once known as a meticulous player sweating it out in the nets, Labuschagne also talked about the smart approach he's adopted in training.

"I took a step back mentally and had a look at what I wanted to achieve before I then started attacking it. I didn't want to just attack it blindly and go, 'Okay, I'm just going to train, train, train. There's an analogy – you can try and bash yourself through the wall, or you can just open the door and walk in.

"(That means) train smarter. I've always trained hard. So if I can combine the clarity of mind, working with my coaches, working with the people around me to go, 'Okay, how do we get myself back here?' I think all this stems off the back of confidence. If you haven't got runs for a while, you obviously try and put on the facade that you're confident.

"But you just want to score consistent runs, spend time in the middle, get that feel of playing, and then the rest just starts creeping back. It comes back pretty quickly from there," he concluded.

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