Justin Langer hints Marnus Labuschagne's inclusion in the ICC T20 World Cup 2021

Marnus Labuschagne made his debut for Australia in 2018 against Pakistan in the longest format of the game. Since his debut, the batsman has delivered many stunning knocks in Tests and has successfully established himself as a mainstay of Australia’s batting line-up.

In 18 Test fixtures, Marnus has scored a stunning 1885 runs at an average of 60.8. Following a good run in the purest format, the 26-year-old earned his maiden ODI cap in 2020 against India. After 13 One Day Internationals, Labuschagne has 473 runs under his willow at an average of 39.4. 

The right-hander seems to have made an impact on the selectors and the team management as Australia’s head coach Justin Langer hinted towards the inclusion of Marnus in the shortest format of the game for the ICC T20 World Cup scheduled in India later this year.

Justin Langer and former England captain Michael Vaughan were involved in an interesting conversation on  Fox Cricket’s Road to the Ashes regarding the impact of the evolution of T20I on Test cricket. While Vaughan was of the view that T20 has definitely made a negative impact on the batter’s ability to play in tough scenarios, Langer took this opportunity to lavish praises on Marnus Labuschagne for his conduct across all the formats.

Marnus Labuschagne is such a breath of fresh air: Justin Langer

“That’s why I think Marnus Labuschagne is such a breath of fresh air and I am absolutely certain he will be able to play all three forms of the game. He will be a superstar in all three forms of the game because he’s got such a great base of technique,” Langer told The Road to the Ashes.

Further, the head coach also backed the red-ball format saying that people are excelling in the shortest format only because they have learned all the basics of the game by excelling in Tests. “It’s probably the opposite to what people are expecting me to say here, but I would be teaching my kids to play red-ball cricket because the more you learned the art of batting, the more chance you’ve got of being successful in all three forms.

“But I think a lot of people are getting sidetracked by the glamour and potential money. Remember the big money only goes to the best players and the smart player will be building a really strong foundation of technique and concentration and can play all three forms of the game,” the Australian coach said.

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