Marnus Labuschagne willing to open in Australia's interest

ADELAIDE: Australia batsman Marnus Labuschagne, who bats at No. 3, says he is ready to open in the interest of his national team which faces a dearth of opening options following a groin injury to David Warner and a concussion scare to Will Pucovski. Both Warner and Pucovski have been ruled out of the first Test at Adelaide with the selectors bringing in left-hander Marcus Harris as replacement. There are also concerns over Joe Burns, the other opener, who is enduring poor form.

"Look, whatever the team needs I think that is our job to do as cricketers. It is about making sure that we do what is best for the team. If the team needs me to open, then that is what I'll do. But we'll just have to wait and see how things pan out with the few other moving parts currently. Like I said it is a team sport and it is about winning games and if it (him opening) is the best way to win games, that is what we'll do," said Labuschagne during the interaction with media on Saturday. Labuschagne said that he is preparing to bat at practice sessions and is not worried if he opens or bats at three. "I think that (my opening position in Test match) will be communicated if that is the option we are going to go down with. For me, I am just preparing to bat if that is at one or three, it doesn't matter for me. I am just making sure I am ready to face the ball no matter what the circumstances are," the batsman added.

Opener Burns is going through a poor patch, having scored four, zero and zero in the three innings of the two warm-up games against the touring Indians. Burns has not even crossed 30 in his last nine innings and has just a century and a fifty in 14 first-class innings, including Sheffield Shield matches, this season.

Labuschagne is hoping that Burns scores in the second innings of the ongoing second warm-up tie.

Labuschagne is confident that both Green, who provides an additional bowling and batting option, and opener Pucovski will be ready soon. "Hopefully he (Green) will be fine and the same with Will. As I said it is not a skill thing, they are both good enough. They are making sure that they are going through things that we need to do post concussion," said Labuschagne. IANS

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