What Marnus Labuschagne needs to change in batting technique

Marnus Labuschagne has become the student of the game who needs to close the books to pass the test.

His batting mentor, Neil D’Costa, is telling the under-siege Test No.3 with more theories than recent runs to stop being so “rigid”. National men’s coach and selector Andrew McDonald wants him to be proactive at the crease. Michael Hussey, the batting great they call “Mr Cricket”, is urging him to be decisive.

Marnus Labuschagne is being advised to take a more proactive approach to his batting. Credit: Fox Sports

The widespread view among experts in and outside the Australian dressing room is there cannot be a sequel to the torturous 95-minute, 52-ball stay that yielded just two runs in Perth. Nor can there be a repeat of his horror dismissal in the second innings when, crippled by indecision, he was trapped in front offering no stroke.

D’Costa has defended his star pupil’s handling of that delivery from Jasprit Bumrah, saying a ball pitched that length in Perth should ordinarily go above the stumps – but his backing came with a twist. Bumrah is no ordinary bowler.

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