Marnus Labuschagne return, Australian Test team selections, Michael Vaughan, Adam Gilchrist, Summer of Cricket, Kayo Sports, news, videos, highlights

Marnus Labuschagne has found himself in Test cricket exile — but a pair of legends believe the talented batsmen will “succeed” at the domestic level before returning to selection equations.

The 32-year-old’s last Test century came in July 2023, having not reached triple figures in his last 49 games after a disappointing tour of South Africa, managing 0 and 4 in Cape Town.

National chair of selectors George Bailey revealed Labuschagne would not be in contention for Australia’s upcoming four-Test series against New Zealand in December – part of Kayo Sports’ Summer of the Century which begins on Friday with white-ball action against England.

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Speaking at Kayo Sports’ launch on Tuesday, English legend Michael Vaughan declared Labuschagne’s time in the baggy green is not over.

“He just needs to find that joy of cricket again, it’s very, very hard to find that joy at the highest level when the eyeballs are on you,” Vaughan said to foxsports.com.au.

“And everyone’s talking about your form, (asking) should you be in the side? So Marnus is a good guy. Marnus is a person that I think will come back.

“I do, I think he’ll have a (domestic) run for a while, I’m sure he’ll score a few runs and he will find that joy.

“He plays spin well, so you probably want him in India. It wouldn’t surprise me at all if he has a stint in County cricket at the start of next year and scores loads of runs.

“Then Australia will want him in the Ashes series. So I think he will be back.”

Previously, Labuschagne found himself out of selection equations during Australia’s tour of the West Indies last year.

However, he turned out for Queensland and produced five centuries in only eight games — earning him a recall for the latest Ashes series, which saw the hosts retain the urn.

Aussie great Adam Gilchrist echoed Vaughan’s opinion and explained a stint in domestic cricket “certainly won’t hurt him”, highlighting two players who have returned to Test cricket from the “wilderness” to find success.

“I am sure he will succeed there. He has proven that he’s such a class player at that level in particular,” he said to foxsports.com.au.

“I’m sure he’ll succeed. So it might not be a bad thing to work out whether he has got the desire and passion for the game to try and get back up to the top level.

“He’s young enough still, he’s sure not on the scrap heap in that regard. So it’ll be a chance for him to just learn even more about himself and what his aspirations are.

“So it all did happen pretty quick, that first stint out of the team and there’s been (many), Usman Khawaja, who is topical at the moment.

“But he was a guy that did find a way to spend a fair bit of time in the wilderness and then come back out and carve a really nice few years at the back end.”

He also explained that Labuschagne needs “hunger” if he is any chance of returning, saying: “in a cricketing sense, he looks like such a deep thinker. He might learn a bit about the way to go about it and if he can almost can himself a bit of slack to not be so intense.

“But again, I am speculating, certainly if the hunger and desire is there he gives himself every opportunity (to return).”

The Queensland gun himself fronted media on Tuesday, declaring he “will be back” and that he has the exact attitude Gilchrist was hopeful Labuschagne possessed.

“You take this opportunity to come back and play for Queensland, enjoy your time here and find ways to win games for Queensland. Score runs, enjoy the games and I think my path back to the Australian team will work itself out,” Labuschagne said.

“I’ve done it before, and I’ve got no doubt I will be back there.

“When? Who knows, but that’s the aspiration and desire. Right now, my feet are firmly fixed here with Queensland and doing whatever I can as a captain, batter, in the field and with the ball to help us win games.”

Gilchrist was one of a host of Fox Cricket’s star-studded group that kicked off what shapes as to be a blockbuster summer, which begins with a white-ball series against England that kicks off on November 13.

From there, the red ball comes out for the NZ Tests — and Vaughan sent a big warning to the Aussies after their ugly South Africa tour.

With the series on the line, the tourists could only manage 111, chasing 288 to win at Newlands as off-spinner Simon Harmer caused havoc with 6/16 on a deteriorating wicket.

“Australia are under a lot of pressure, they are under pressure because they haven’t been playing good cricket,” he said.

“New Zealand are coming in to play Test match cricket, they are good. Then they go to India to play five matches, they are good. Then obviously the Ashes in the UK.

“If they do well, they’ll be in the Test Championship final which is the perfect prep for an Ashes series.

“This Aussie team are under a huge amount of pressure now. The fact they haven’t played great recently and obviously the controversy from eight years ago has found its way to the press once again.”

As for the Australian’s batting against spin, Vaughan believed the Indian attack would be “licking their lips”.

“The Test team aren’t playing good cricket, they just didn’t manage the situation in Port Elizabeth well enough, whether it was selections and obviously the way they batted,” he said.

“Cape Town, bowling first was strange, then the way they played the off-spin in the last innings was a real concern.

“When Australia got to India in the New Year the Indians will be licking their lips to bowl to this Australian batting line-up if they’re going to play spin like that.”

During the launch, Fox Cricket experts alongside Aussie stars Mitchell Starc and Ellyse Perry fronted a panel as fans got up close and personal with the game’s biggest stars.

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