Right-hander says ‘it’s all coming together’ after yet another hundred for Queensland
Marnus Labuschagne believes he is in better form now than at any point since before the 2019 Ashes, with the rhythm returning to his game this summer.
Labuschagne enhanced his status as the form batter of the country against NSW in the one-day cup, hitting his fifth century in eight innings for Queensland to start the season.
His 101 on Monday took his summer average to 84.87 across all formats, with the 31-year-old having made changes to his grip and stance.
The right-hander has also spoken about having a clearer head, no longer hitting in the nets on game day and trying to spend less timing thinking about his technique.
Asked if he had ever been in a purple patch like this before, Labuschagne said he could only compare it to before he made a major impact as a Test player.
“The only one I can think of is probably 2019 at Glamorgan as a period of time,” Labuschagne told reporters after Queensland one-day cup win on Monday.
“But probably not across both formats.
“With both formats I feel like batting is in a really nice place, just trusting my skills and trusting myself out there … It’s all coming together.”
Labuschagne’s 2019 hot streak prompted him to be included in Australia’s Ashes squad that year, before he made his mark replacing a concussed Steve Smith at Lord’s.
What followed was one of the quickest ascensions to the top of the world Test batting rankings in history, with Labuschagne reaching the summit by 2021.
And he insisted that history had also taught him there was no such thing as wasting form this early in the season.
“I feel like whenever you’re batting badly, you just need to get that rhythm and that feel,” Labuschagne said.
“And once you’ve got it, you protect it like it’s gold.
“You know how to manage the situation of the game, you know when to take a risk or when not to. If you score runs, it’s a habit.”
Dropped earlier this year after a run of low scores, Labuschagne will likely return to the squad when an extended group for the first Ashes Test is named this week.
Labuschagne is willing to open or bat No.3, with Sam Konstas expected to be cut from the top order and the 20-year-old given time to find his game in the Sheffield Shield.
“It’s something that needed to happen to me to get where I am today,” Labuschagne said of having time out of the Test arena.
“Because while you’re still playing you get scrutinised, it’s hard to get clarity on where you want your game to be and how you’re going to do that.
“Sammy is so talented, we have seen that. He’s young, this is first-class cricket, it’s not easy. Especially batting at the top.
“I feel when he really learns his game and learns when to push, when to pull, when to attack, when to defend, when to use all his shots, he is going to be a very good player for Australia.”
One-Day Cup 2025-26 standings
Team
Matches played
M
Wins
W
Losses
L
Ties
T
No results
N/R
Net Run Rate
NRR
Deductions
Ded.
Batting Bonus
Bat
Total points
PTS
1
TAS
4
4
0
0
0
0.881
0
1
17
2
QLD
5
3
2
0
0
0.426
0
1
13
3
NSW
5
2
3
0
0
0.478
0
2
10
4
SA
4
2
2
0
0
-0.447
0
2
10
5
WA
4
1
3
0
0
-0.343
0.5
1
4.5
6
VIC
4
1
3
0
0
-1.28
0
0
4
Legend
M: Matches played
W: Wins
L: Losses
T: Ties
N/R: No results
NRR: Net Run Rate
Ded.: Deductions
Bat: Batting Bonus
PTS: Total points
