Australia
\nOpening the batting may not be Marnus Labuschagne\u2019s preferred option, but Usman Khawaja has said that sometimes players need to take a role that is best for the team rather than the individual and backed him to make a success of it should that be the selectors\u2019 call at Lord\u2019s.
\nLabuschagne is firming as the likely option to walk out alongside Khawaja in the World Test Championship final as Australia juggle their batting order. When it was suggested last year that Labuschagne could be an option at the top of the order after David Warner\u2019s retirement, Khawaja said he had \u201copening-itis\u201d and on Monday joked again that he wasn\u2019t really over it.
\nHowever, it appears the selectors will opt for Labuschagne\u2019s experience and Test record – which includes 11 centuries – over dropping him in favour of 19-year-old Sam Konstas, who was handed a debut against India when Australia wanted someone to take the game on. Should that transpire, it shapes as a key moment as Labuschagne fights to secure his Test spot with the selectors keen to settle down an opening combination ahead of the Ashes later this year.
\n\u201cYou don\u2019t always get to choose in Australia. You\u2019ve got six of the best batsmen in the country,\u201d Khawaja said while promoting Prime Video who will broadcast the final in Australia. \u201cLike I\u2019ve said in the past, there are plenty of times where I prefer to bat in other positions. But beggars can\u2019t be choosers. You just have to be humble that you\u2019re playing for Australia.\u201d
\nLabuschagne has previously opened 15 times in first-class cricket although only once since 2016, but as a regular No.3 knows there is a chance he could be in for the second ball of an innings.
\n\u201cYou take what you get and you make the best out of it. At the end of the day, it\u2019s a team game,\u201d said Khawaja, who moved permanently into the opening role in early 2022 after returning to the side with twin hundreds against England at No. 5. \u201cThe best place for me to bat for the team is to open. So I\u2019m very happy to open and do my role for the team. I\u2019m sure if it\u2019s the same for Marnus, I\u2019m 100%. I know he\u2019ll take that role.
\n\u201c[When] you bat three, I think the opening is an easier transition. The only time it\u2019s hard is when you bat second. You have to run off and change [into] your pads. Usually when I was at three, I just put my feet up. You don\u2019t get to do that anymore. That\u2019s the biggest difference. But Marnus is a terrific player. If he gets an opportunity, I\u2019m sure he\u2019ll be fine.\u201d
\nFrom a personal point of view, Khawaja played down any issues with what has become a revolving door of opening partners since Warner retired. Since then, Australia have cycled through Steven Smith, Nathan McSweeney, Konstas and latterly Travis Head who was used as a conditions-specific selection in Sri Lanka.
\n\u201cAn opener can get out first ball and you\u2019re batting with number three anyway,\u201d Khawaja said. \u201cSo it\u2019s not that big of a deal. All the guys that are in this team I\u2019ve batted with. Opening has been a revolving door for a long time. But I think it just shows you how hard opening is. It\u2019s not an easy place to bat.
\n\u201cI\u2019ve had a few partners since Davey\u2019s gone. It\u2019s just a tough place to bat. You can\u2019t hide in Test cricket. I think whoever\u2019s going to come in will do a good job. But for me, it\u2019s no different.\u201d
\nThe other selection questions Australia had to ponder where whether to continue with an allrounder at No. 6 and the call between Josh Hazlewood and Scott Boland. Hazlewood looks primed to return to the bowling line-up, while during training on Monday, the catching cordon was Khawaja, Smith, Beau Webster and Cameron Green. Webster, who has never played at Lord\u2019s, spoke the previous day about having to factor in the slope when standing in the slips.
\nMeanwhile, Australia believe that spin could play a significant role in the match. Two days out the pitch was already quite straw-coloured and the forecast is for warm weather during the Test and a good amount of sunshine.
\n\u201cI think spin will play a big part, particularly as the game wears on,\u201d Smith said. \u201cIt is dry. We only came here a week ago, but I think it\u2019s been pretty dry to start the season over here. I think the footmarks will definitely come into play as the game wears on.\u201d
\nTwo years ago, during the 2023 Ashes, Australia lost Nathan Lyon to a calf injury during England\u2019s first innings but were able to secure victory through their fast bowlers.
\n\u201cHe\u2019s keen to get back here and I guess put those negative memories out of his mind,\u201d Alex Carey said. \u201cBut it probably proved in that series how big a role he does play in all conditions, especially here in England.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Australia Opening the batting may not be Marnus Labuschagne\u2019s preferred option, but Usman Khawaja has said that sometimes players need to take a role that is best for the team rather than the individual and backed him to make a success of it should that be the selectors\u2019 call at Lord\u2019s. Labuschagne is firming as […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-483278","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","category-sports"],"yoast_head":"\n