The failure of the top-order, particularly the new opening duo of Usman Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne, was one of the numerous reasons why Australia was unable to retain their World Test Championship title in the final against South Africa at Lord’s. Notably, Australia lost an ICC final for the first time since 2010.
Although Labuschagne and Khawaja have both made significant runs for Australia in the past, their efforts were lacklustre in the game where they were most needed. Although Labuschagne looked well at the crease, he had given away his wickets with sloppy shots in both innings, while Khawaja was dismissed for low scores of 0 (20) and 6 (23) in the match. Even though the two gifted players’ futures are now in doubt, head coach Andrew McDonald has continued to support them, pointing out that they are still vital to the team.
“He (Labuschagne) plays a significant role in the team’s future. Anyone who plays Test cricket at that age and averages 45 or 46 is significant. Some of our senior players are nearing the end of their careers. Younger players are joining us, and you want people who have played, I believe, 60 or so Test matches. He can support that batting order if he can improve his game over the next four or five years. However, he would currently be dissatisfied with the returns,” McDonald stated, according to Fox Cricket.
He has lost out on significant scores. When he got a pair of 70s, he threatened at the MCG. You know, if they had been a couple of hundreds, the talk would have changed as well. However, we continue to select him because we are sure he will be able to perform at his peak again. When do we stop choosing him, exactly? The Australian coach went one step farther.
Khawaja has a lot of potential: McDonald’s
In contrast, Khawaja’s performance has been inconsistent, as the seasoned batter hasn’t recently amassed any noteworthy runs. The 39-year-old should retire from the game, according to fans. McDonald has continued to support the graceful left-handed batter, claiming that he still has a lot of runs left in him. Additionally, he likened the Pakistani-born player to his former opening partner and renowned hitter David Warner.
He is a key player and is under contract. At the summit, he provides us with stability at his peak. Additionally, we prefer to see our players at their peak. Undoubtedly, after a few setbacks, people begin to speculate that this could be the end. With the way he’s training, preparing, and moving, I don’t see a finish line’, he remarked.
“He returned to shield cricket and achieved a hundred last season.” He has a lot of runs left in him, in my opinion. It will depend on how he prepares and his inner motivation. With Davey [David Warner], it was somewhat the same. There were some nice aspects to the way he moved. We were aware that the runs would soon be here. The former Australia all-rounder came to the conclusion, “We think Usman has a big part to play.”
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