Xtra Time Web Desk: Marnus Labuschagne is ready to take on the challenge of opening the batting for Australia if an opportunity does arise due to the injury to regular opener David Warner. With Warner being ruled out of the remaining white ball matches against India, Australia will have to look at options of an opening partner for captain Aaron Finch. Warner suffered a groin injury while fielding in the second ODI against India at the SCG is also doubtful for the first test match in Adelaide, starting next month from December 17.
Labuschangne has been in terrific form for Australia in last 18 months and is in contention for the opening spot in the red ball format. The talented batsman scored 70 off 61 balls batting at four in Sunday’s 66-run win in the second one-day international in Sydney but the night was soured for the hosts with a groin injury to Warner.
“He’s been a massive part of us winning this series and it is not great that we’ve lost him but like anything, it provides an opportunity for someone else to step up in the top order and make runs,” Labuschagne told reporters on Monday.
“Certainly, if I got asked to open the batting, absolutely it’s an opportunity that I would enjoy doing. But we’ll have to wait and see.”
Australia will be sweating on the results of scans to Warner’s adductor muscle ahead of the first test against India at Adelaide Oval from Dec. 17.
His absence would open the door for young talent Will Pucovski to debut with incumbent opener Joe Burns.
Burns has had a run of low scores in the domestic Sheffield Shield but Labuschagne, who bats at three in the test side, backed his Queensland team mate to rise to the occasion if Warner remained sidelined for the tests.
“Joe’s averaging 40 in test cricket, so he’s certainly established and he’s got four test hundreds. He’s a very good player,” said Labuschagne.
“Although he hasn’t scored the runs in Shield cricket that he’d like, he got 99 against Pakistan in the first test last summer and he negotiated through that new ball period almost every time last summer, so he’s not really far away from a couple of really big scores.”
Australia will look to sweep the ODI series 3-0 with victory in Canberra on Wednesday before the three-match T20 series gets underway in the nation’s capital.