Marnus Labuschagne made a compelling case for his recall to Australia’s Test side for the Ashes series, continuing his remarkable run of form with his fourth century in five innings for Queensland. The 31-year-old crossed the 150-run mark after tea on the second day of Queensland’s Sheffield Shield clash against South Australia at the Adelaide Oval, propelling his team towards a commanding position.
He dropped out of the Test side in June after a prolonged slump, Labuschagne started the summer strongly with four centuries across formats. While two of those came in 50-over matches, he has now scored hundreds in red-ball cricket after his 160 against Tasmania in the opening round of the Shield.
Labuschagne batted with remarkable ease and control on Thursday, hitting 17 boundaries and an impressive six in the first two sessions. A week after Australian coach Andrew McDonald suggested Labuschagne was returning to his best, the Queensland captain showed exactly why he belongs back in the Test squad.
Labuschagne currently looks likely to replace Sam Konstas in Australia’s playing XI for the Ashes opener in Perth on November 21. Konstas again struggled for form and fell to Scott Boland when NSW were dismissed for 163 against Victoria on Wednesday.
At tea, Labuschagne was unbeaten on 144 from 163 balls as Queensland reached 254 for 3 and looked set to take a healthy first innings lead against South Australia (228). Labuschagne, who came in at No.3, confidently drove the pacers through the covers and elegantly played the spinners on the mid-wicket boundary.
Despite a minor scare – a dust in his eye and a near miss caught at second slip when he was on 31 – Labuschagne’s innings was almost flawless. He brought up his century with a short boundary off Liam Scott and earned congratulations from Test wicketkeeper Alex Carey.
The central question for the selectors now will be Labuschagne’s batting position in the Ashes side. The Queensland captain prefers the No.3 spot, where he has spent most of his Test career and where he currently anchors Queensland’s innings.
Ahead of his century, Labuschagne spoke to The Athletic: “I’m very confident,” he said. “I’m sure I’ll score runs consistently and find myself back in this team for the first Test. But leading to that point is a process and I’m not a selector, but I’m sure that’s what they want to see – consistent performances and I’ll play my best.”
He reflected on the challenges bowlers now face: “People are just bowling more in the channel than when I started. Teams were bowling a lot straighter and trying to attack me with leg-side fields. I have to be very patient or find a way to put the opposition under pressure. I want to play the way I want to play – attack and put the bowlers under pressure. I haven’t been able to do that in the last year and a half.”
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Issued by:
Saurabh Kumar
Published on:
October 16, 2025
