Marnus Labuschagne’s resurgence in domestic cricket has put him on the brink of an Ashes recall, and a key influence behind his revival is none other than former Indian opener Virender Sehwag. The Australian star smashed a 197-ball 159 against South Australia in the Sheffield Shield, marking his fourth century in five matches. After a difficult two-year period in Tests, where he struggled with decision-making and scored at a sluggish strike rate of 44.25, Labuschagne appears rejuvenated and confident ahead of Australia’s Ashes campaign.
Lowest Test strike rate among top-order batters since 2023 (
Minimum 25 innings)
43.90 — Kraigg Brathwaite (WI)44.25 — Marnus Labuschagne (AUS)44.84 — Usman Khawaja (AUS)49.32 — Ravindra Jadeja (IND)49.37 — Angelo Matthews (SL) Speaking to AAP earlier, Labuschagne credited Sehwag’s fearless style of batting as inspiration for his return to form. “Sehwag’s method was taking the ball on and just playing it. That’s an element for me,” he said. “I want to be so clear and confident with my technique that I am only thinking about seeing the ball, hitting it, and trusting my game.” Earlier this year, Labuschagne was dropped from the Test side after struggling with pace-friendly conditions and showing hesitancy at the crease. But a series of strong performances in domestic cricket, including rapid hundreds in Sheffield Shield and One-Day competitions, has restored his place in contention. The batter has also worked on correcting his vulnerability outside off stump, acknowledging that bowlers had exploited this weakness in recent years. Now, with a more proactive approach inspired by Sehwag, Labuschagne is scoring freely, picking gaps, and attacking loose deliveries. If he continues this form, Labuschagne is expected to be a key cog in Australia’s Ashes defence, blending his natural talent with lessons drawn from one of India’s most destructive openers.
