Australia keep faith in Labuschagne but name potential No.3 replacements for South Africa Tests

Australia have named Marnus Labuschagne in their 16-player squad for the upcoming Test series against South Africa, but have also included Cooper Connolly and Josh Inglis as potential replacements at No.3 should Labuschagne be left out of the playing XI.

Labuschagne has averaged just 24.69 across his last 43 Test innings, having recorded his last Test century in July 2023. He recorded scores of 1, 31 and 4 in the recently concluded series against Bangladesh, which amplified calls for his place in the squad. Australian national selector George Bailey affirmed Marnus' position and backed the batter to find form once more.

"We are not shying away from the fact that we'd like some more runs from Marnus. That's clear, but we're also confident that he can still make a positive contribution to that squad. I think our batting group in its entirety, not just Marnus, probably hasn't been functioning as successfully as we would like, but also not shying away from the fact that we've continued to win a lot of Test matches over that period," Bailey said, as quoted by Wisden.

What does Cooper Connolly's inclusion mean for Australia's batting order?

Connolly has been named as one of the two players who could step into the No.3 role if Labuschagne is dropped from the XI. Bailey spoke positively about Connolly's potential to bat in the top three, acknowledging that his development across formats is ongoing.

 "He's a good player, and one I think that's going to continue to develop across formats. Every time that we've had him on tour, he's a good learner. He's keen to expand his game. "I think he will be able to [bat in the top three]. Whether that's now, whether that's in the future. He's still so young in his career, but I think his ability to bat in a range of positions will continue to grow as he gets more and more experience," Bailey said.

Could Travis Head or Steve Smith move up to No.3 for Australia?

Beyond Connolly and Inglis, Bailey was also asked about the possibility of other established batters shifting positions within the order. Travis Head has had success both at No.5 and at the top of the order, and any positional change would require careful consideration of where he is currently contributing most effectively.

"Any time you do make a move, it's what are you taking away from where they are performing, and that's always going to be a question, particularly around Travis, I think, the success that he had at five, but also the success he has had at the top, and what he and what he provides to the structure of the team there. So I think there are always going to be considerations. Steve has batted at three for a large part of his career. Hasn't done it for a little while, and has had success there. So absolutely, that'll be a conversation at some point," Bailey said.

Australia full squad for South Africa Test Series.

Pat Cummins (c), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cooper Connolly, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Matthew Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Michael Neser, Matthew Renshaw, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Beau Webster.