Without ever having won an IPL deal,that remains the extent of Labuschagne’s Indian exposure,leaving him extremely eager – if Labuschagne could be characterised asanythingbut eager – for a chance to show his wares a few weeks from now.
On a truncated day at the SCG,where murky skies and bad light proved to be even more of a threat to play than rain itself,the advent of turn,some of it sharp,was very welcome for Labuschagne in the circumstances.
For as much as it was bracing to watch him duck and weave away from Anrich Nortje,Marco Jansen and Kagiso Rabada,on one occasion getting stuck perilously close to the chin,the chance to limber up for India against Keshav Maharaj and Simon Harmer was especially valuable.
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Educated by his mentor Neil D’Costa over many years,Labuschagne poses wristy questions for spin bowlers that should bring refreshing versatility to the Australian batting line-up in India. Granted an opportunity to tour,he will turn over every stone to find a way.
At the other end to Labuschagne,Usman Khawaja took similar care to spend quality time working through his gears against spin. Right-handed and left,Christian and Muslim,Afrikaner and Pakistani,Labuschagne and Khawaja have many contrasts in addition to their techniques.
But perhaps that most pointed in terms of the Indian assignment is in the contrasting ways they are yet to play a Test match there. Where Labuschagne is yet to tour India for red-ball matches,Khawaja has done so twice,in 2013 and 2017.