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Australia has left top-order batter Marnus Labuschagne out of the squad for their upcoming four-Test series at home against New Zealand. Selection panel chair George Bailey confirmed the decision ahead of the official squad announcement for the opening match, which starts in Perth on December 9.
Recent Struggles at the Crease
The 32-year-old batter has endured a prolonged drop in form, recording an average of just 23.66 across 10 Test matches since his return during last winter’s Ashes series. In Australia’s recent 2-1 series loss in South Africa, Labuschagne managed only 131 runs in three matches, averaging 21.83.
Labuschagne has now gone 49 Test innings without reaching three figures, a drought extending back to the 2023 Ashes series in England. Over his past 38 Test appearances, he has managed to score just a single century.
Selectors Address Team Selection
Bailey told reporters that selectors wanted to clarify Labuschagne’s status to remove surrounding speculation and provide clarity for the player. “We won’t be considering Marn for selection,” Bailey told reporters.
Despite the decision, Bailey emphasized that Labuschagne could still earn his way back into the national team for early next year’s tour of India or the subsequent Ashes series. “It’s still possible, absolutely. I think we all know how good and how effective Marnus can be at his best. But that performance hasn’t been there,” Bailey said. “He’s pragmatic. He knows that the fundamental nature of being a batter in the top six is to score runs and that just hasn’t happened.”
Domestic Focus and Upcoming Matches
Labuschagne previously established himself as one of the world’s premier Test batters, accumulating 10 centuries in his first 30 Tests and reaching the top spot in the ICC Test batting rankings. After being dropped for last year’s tour of the West Indies, he forced his way back into the side for the 2025-26 Ashes by scoring five centuries in 10 domestic innings for Queensland across red-ball and one-day formats. Selectors expect him to focus on playing for Queensland once again to regain form.
Following the Perth Test against New Zealand, Australia will complete the series with matches in Adelaide, Melbourne, and Sydney. The team will then travel to India for a five-Test series starting January 21. Before the Test schedule begins, Australia will host England in a white-ball series featuring three one-day internationals starting November 13 in Perth, followed by five Twenty20 matches beginning November 21.
