Marnus Labuschagne knew what was at stake when he walked out to bat against South Africa in the second Test at Gqeberha. His place in Australia’s Test team was already under scrutiny before the series began. Now, with his side fighting to save a Test after being bowled out for just 99 in the first innings, another failure could make his position even harder to defend.
For 98 balls, Labuschagne tried to make a case for himself. He played some classy cuts, pulls and flicks. He defended when required, survived a review after being given out LBW and found ways to frustrate Simon Harmer. On another occasion, the ball turned off his bat and fell just short of short leg. An outside edge also flew past the fielders.
There were signs of a batter fighting to stay at the crease. But there was no big score to show for that effort.
Eventually, Harmer pinned him down for five deliveries before Labuschagne tried to attack. He stepped out and attempted to hit the spinner over mid-on, but failed to middle the ball. Marco Jansen completed an excellent catch, ending his innings on 39.
That dismissal summed up the problem with Marnus Labuschagne right now. He can still show patience, technique and determination. But can he turn those qualities into the kind of runs Australia needs from its No. 3?
Labuschagne is approaching a point where Australia might seriously consider dropping him.
Marnus Labuschagne: From the Next Steve Smith to a Batter Fighting for His Place
It feels a long way from the summer of 2019, when Labuschagne’s Test career took off in extraordinary circumstances.
During the Ashes at Lord’s, Steve Smith was struck by a Jofra Archer bouncer and later ruled out of the match with concussion. Labuschagne came into the game as his replacement, becoming the first concussion substitute in Test cricket. He was then struck on his helmet by Archer, but recovered and went on to score a determined 59. He followed it with more important performances in the series.
That image of Labuschagne getting back up after being hit by Archer became an important part of his story. He looked ready for a fight. The right-hander did not appear intimidated by the occasion or the bowler. He was prepared to stand his ground against one of England’s most threatening fast bowlers.
And then the runs came.
Labuschagne began to look like a batter Australia could build around. His technique, concentration and ability to make long innings gave the impression that the team had discovered another elite Test specialist. The comparisons with Smith were understandable, even if matching Smith’s career was always going to be an enormous challenge.
Labuschagne had the temperament to occupy the crease for hours. He could frustrate bowlers, leave deliveries outside off stump and punish mistakes. He was not simply surviving at Test level; he was scoring big hundreds.
That is why his current struggles feel so significant. Australia is not dealing with an unproven youngster who has never shown what he can do. It is dealing with a batter who has already demonstrated that he can be one of the best in the world.
But past success cannot guarantee future selection forever.
The Numbers Are Becoming Difficult to Ignore
Marnus Labuschagne’s decline has not happened overnight. There have been warning signs for some time.
His returns in India have been disappointing compared with the standards he once set for himself. He has also struggled to maintain consistency across different conditions, even though he managed a century in Sri Lanka. More concerningly, the problems have followed him back to Australia, where home conditions should offer a familiar environment in which to rebuild confidence.
His last Test hundred came against England at Old Trafford during the 2023 Ashes, 48 innings ago. His last Test fifty came in Brisbane against England, 15 innings ago.
Those are not minor gaps for a specialist top-order batter. The decline suggests more than a handful of unlucky dismissals.
Of course, averages do not tell the entire story. A batter can contribute through partnerships, survive difficult spells and help a team recover from early wickets without scoring a hundred. His 39 against South Africa showed some of those qualities.
But a No. 3 batter is expected to do more than merely occupy the crease. He must also convert starts into substantial contributions, especially when the top order has already lost wickets.
And that is where Labuschagne’s case is becoming harder to defend.
South Africa May Have Exposed a Deeper Problem
Before this series, there were already questions about whether Australia should continue backing Labuschagne. The selectors gave him another opportunity, and Australia won the first Test in Durban by 214 runs.
A team that has just won a Test often prefers stability over unnecessary changes. There is a reasonable argument for giving an experienced batter another chance, particularly when the team is leading a series.
But a team victory does not automatically mean every individual selection has been vindicated.
Labuschagne’s modest returns in the first Test did not settle the debate. In the second Test, he scored 14 in the first innings and 39 in the second. Neither innings produced the substantial contribution Australia needed from him.
Marnus Labuschagne Had a Chance to Keep Australia Alive and Bring a Draw Into the Picture
This should be a career ending shot for Marnus Labuschagne.
Marnus Labuschagne had a brain fade and assessed the situation horribly here. Very poor from him.
He rode his luck throughout his innings and should’ve cashed in. Instead he is the reason why Australia are staring down the barrel.
47 innings now without a test 100 and 14 innings without a top 50. This is as a number 3 batter. One of the most pivotal spots in test cricket. This is simply unacceptable.
— Troll cricket unlimitedd (@TUnlimitedd) October 21, 2026
The second innings was particularly frustrating because there was a chance to build something with Travis Head. Head was finding runs, and the pair had an opportunity to keep Australia alive for longer.
Imagine if Labuschagne had stayed with Head until the end of the fourth day. Even without scoring quickly, he could have helped Australia move closer to a position from which a draw looked possible.
Instead, Head remained unbeaten on 87 at stumps, while Labuschagne was back in the pavilion. Australia finished the day at 156-4, still trailing South Africa by 170 runs, after following on from its first-innings total of 99. You can check the full scoreboard of this match HERE.
It would be unfair to blame Labuschagne alone for Australia’s position. The collapse to 99 was a collective failure, and the South African bowlers deserve enormous credit. But Labuschagne’s dismissal removed a batter who had already spent time at the crease and could have offered Head support.
The bigger concern is the way he got out. After working hard to survive Harmer’s spin, he chose to attack at a moment when Australia needed him to keep batting. That raises questions about decision-making and temperament as much as technique.
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Cameron Green and Josh Inglis Change the Conversation
Australia cannot keep asking whether Marnus Labuschagne deserves another chance without considering who might take his place.
Cameron Green is an obvious option when fit, although his current injury means Australia cannot simply bring him back into the side for the next Test. Josh Inglis also offers a potential batting alternative, while performances in the Sheffield Shield could give selectors other names to consider.
The question is not whether any replacement can guarantee a hundred in the next match. No selection decision offers that certainty.
The question is whether Australia believes Labuschagne remains its best option for the role.
Dropping an experienced player is difficult because the replacement may struggle too. But that risk exists with every selection decision. If Australia waits until Labuschagne finally scores a hundred to make a change, it could end up giving him opportunities indefinitely without addressing the wider problem.
At the same time, selectors must avoid treating one bad series as the sole reason for a major decision. They need to examine his longer run of scores, his technical response to different bowlers, and whether he has a credible plan to turn starts into big innings.
If they have already lost confidence in him, however, there is little value in delaying the decision merely to make it look more justified.
If Marnus Labuschagne Is Dropped, How Easy Will It Be to Return?
This may be the most important question for Labuschagne himself.
Being dropped would not automatically end his Test career. He has a strong record behind him, international experience and the technical foundation to rebuild his batting. A return through Sheffield Shield cricket could give him the opportunity to rediscover his rhythm, correct technical problems and show that he deserves another chance.
But getting back into the team could be much harder than it was the first time. He is not getting any younger, and there are youngsters waiting in the wings who have done well domestically.
In 2019, Labuschagne was given an unexpected opportunity because Smith was unavailable. He took it with both hands and made himself difficult to leave out. Now, he is an established player whose place is under pressure because of his own results.
The circumstances are very different.
If another batter takes his place and scores runs, Australia will have less reason to bring Labuschagne back immediately. If Green returns and strengthens the middle order, or another candidate produces consistent Sheffield Shield performances, the competition will become even tougher.
That is the danger of being dropped after a prolonged slump. The player does not just have to rediscover form. He must also wait for a vacancy and convince selectors that he is a better choice than the alternatives.
Australia Must Make a Decision, Not Just Give Him Another Chance
There are two paths Australia can take.
The first is to retain Labuschagne for the next Test, allowing him another opportunity to escape his slump before making a decision at the end of the series. That would be defensible if selectors believe he is close to a breakthrough.
The second is to make the change now. That would send a clear message that reputation and past achievements cannot indefinitely protect a player whose recent returns are below the team’s standards.
Labuschagne has already received opportunities to turn his form around, and his struggles have extended beyond this series. His 39 showed that he can still fight, but it did not resolve the larger concerns about his batting.
There is a difference between backing a player through a difficult period and continuing to select him without seeing enough evidence of improvement.
Labuschagne once looked like the batter who could take over from Smith as Australia’s most dependable Test run-scorer. Now, he is fighting to prove that he still belongs in the same team.
That is a remarkable change in a few years.
His career does not have to end here. But the next chapter may depend on whether Australia gives him another opportunity or whether he has to rebuild his case from domestic cricket.
The real question is no longer whether Marnus Labuschagne can survive at the crease. It is whether he can once again make Australia believe that a big score is coming.
What do you think? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
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