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The once-glittering international cricket career of Marnus Labuschagne is on the ropes after he was dropped from the ODI side, even if chair of selectors George Bailey made it clear he remains in contention for the Test side.<\/p>\n
Labuschagne was dropped from Australia\u2019s white-ball touring party to Zimbabwe and South Africa, a squad named with next year\u2019s ODI World Cup in mind.<\/p>\n
Australia play six ODIs in Zimbabwe and South Africa later this month before the highly-anticipated three-Test series against the Proteas in October. Selectors on Tuesday named a group of 17 for the ODI series, noting a squad for the Test will be announced in coming weeks.<\/p>\n Labuschagne was one of five players dropped from the team who played Bangladesh in Australia\u2019s most recent ODI in June.<\/p>\n The 32-year-old was ranked by the ICC as the best Test batter in the world in 2023, but since then has averaged under 30 in Tests. In the latest rankings he came in at equal 38th.<\/p>\n Despite dropping Labuschagne from the ODI side, Bailey said his possible selection for the red ball team is a separate issue.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was a one-day cricket conversation, this is a pretty important tool for us. It\u2019s hard to get the link, but Zimbabwe and South Africa, that\u2019s where the World Cup will be played late next year,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s not a whole lot of games, and the opportunity that\u2019s well-deserved and awarded to some of those other players to continue building out their roles and their performances in those games would be really important.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd Marn [Labuschagne], again, he\u2019s played some really important one-day cricket for us at his best. That looks a certain way. But the way that squad and team is structuring up, there just wasn\u2019t space for him.\u201d<\/p>\n Labuschagne was on the outer of the Test side ahead of last summer\u2019s Ashes, but a strong start to the Sheffield Shield season secured his place in the side. However, he will not have the chance to play a match for Queensland before the Test squad for the South Africa team is named later this month.<\/p>\n Bailey said the selectors were still working through that selection, ahead of the first Test against South Africa on 9 October. \u201cIt\u2019s just about not having to make a decision until you need to make a decision,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
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