Marnus Labuschagne continued his push for a recall to the Australia Test team for The Ashes with a fourth hundred in five innings in domestic cricket.
Labuschagne hit 159 from 197 balls for Queensland against South Australia in the Sheffield Shield competition, following another red-ball century (160 off 206) versus Tasmania earlier this month and two more for his state in 50-over matches.
The 31-year-old was axed from Australia’s side ahead of the 3-0 sweep in West Indies across June and July, with his previous Test knocks for his country 17 and 22 in the defeat to South Africa at June’s World Test Championship final at Lord’s.
Labuschagne was dropped by Australia ahead of the 3-0 sweep in the West Indies across June and July
Labuschagne – who has 11 hundreds in 58 Tests but no centuries in the format since the Ashes tour of England in 2023 – opened the batting for the first time in his Australia career in that game against South Africa having previously slotted in exclusively at No 3 or lower.
Labuschagne to open for Australia?
If Labuschagne returns for the Ashes – a series which starts in Perth on November 21 – it may well be that he opens with Sam Konstas averaging just eight in the West Indies with a best innings of 25 while partnering veteran Usman Khawaja at the top of the order.
Cameron Green batted at No 3 in the Caribbean, averaging 30.66.
Former Australia opener David Warner, speaking before Labuschagne’s most recent ton, said the South Africa-born batter had done enough to be recalled, but feels he should feature at No 3, with 20-year-old Konstas given another go at the top.
Labuschagne has 11 hundreds and 23 fifties in 58 Tests for Australia
On Labuschagne, Warner said: “I think when you’ve got a lot of Test cricket under your belt, you know what he’s capable of and know what he can do.
“If someone’s averaging 50 in Test cricket [Labuschagne averages 46.19], you’ve probably got to go back to that. I wouldn’t like to see him open. I’d like him to shuffle back down to No 3.”
Should Australia ‘give Konstas another crack?’
Konstas scored a dazzling 60 from 65 balls on debut against India in the 2024 Boxing Day Test in Melbourne but has not passed fifty in nine Test innings since, although he did score a century for Australia A versus India A in September.
Australia should play Sam Konstas (pictured) in The Ashes, says David Warner
Warner added: “I’d like Australia stick with Sam and give him a crack. I don’t think we’ve seen exactly what we know Konstas can do.
“Last year he probably got overwhelmed by the occasion…but I’ve seen him build innings, play some fantastic innings. I’d like to see him go back to just doing that.
“[England] don’t have a Jasprit Bumrah so he doesn’t have to worry about that.”
Jake Weatherald is another contender to open for Australia in The Ashes
Another contender to open for Australia is the uncapped Jake Weatherald, who has just made 94 from 99 balls for Tasmania against Western Australia – his third consecutive Shield fifty following innings of 67 and 57 against Labuschagne’s Queensland.
Weatherald topped the run-scoring charts last year with 906 in 10 games at an average of 50.33.
Ashes series in Australia 2025-26
All times UK and Ireland
First Test: Friday November 21-Tuesday November 25 (2.30am) – Optus Stadium, PerthSecond Test (day/night): Thursday December 4-Monday December 8 (4.30am) – The Gabba, BrisbaneThird Test: Wednesday December 17-Sunday December 21 (12am) – Adelaide OvalFourth Test: Thursday December 25-Monday December 29 (11.30pm) – Melbourne Cricket GroundFifth Test: Sunday January 4-Thursday January 8 (11.30pm) – Sydney Cricket Ground
