Labuschagne's Position Strong as Australia Prepares for Second Test Against Sri Lanka
Marnus Labuschagne seems secure in the Australian Test squad for the second Test against Sri Lanka, with selector support amidst pressures from fans.
Marnus Labuschagne's spot in the Australian Test squad appears safe as the Aussies prepare for the second Test against Sri Lanka.
Labuschagne has been under immense pressure with below par performances with the willow, leading fans to call for selectors to drop him.
Ahead of the second Test commencing on Friday, stand-in skipper Steve Smith all but confirmed the top order would remain unchanged.
"I thought he played well at the back end of the summer, it looked like he was putting the pressure on the bowlers a bit more, he was proactive in the way he was playing, and he looked good at the start of his last innings here," Smith said of Labuschagne.
"The ball he got actually spun a fair bit from (Jeffrey) Vandersay and caught the edge. So he was disappointed to miss out last game, but he's batting well.
"It's just about playing what's in front of you. The more difficult the wicket is in terms of how much it is spinning and the inconsistencies, the more aggressive you actually have to be with your batting or the more proactive you have to be.
"I think when it's a bit flatter you can almost sit on them a bit and wait for loose balls rather than go and look for them. So I think he understands that, he understands spin and angles, and all those things, so I don't think he's far away from a good score."
While Labuschagne will once again retain his place in the squad, a debutant looms for Galle with Cooper Connolly on the brink of replacing Beau Webster.
The pitch looks far more spin-friendly, which could give Connolly a significant advantage over Webster in the XI.
"It's another batter that bowls more than handy spin and spins the same way as (Matt) Kuhnemann," Smith said.
"We've got a few that go the same way as Nathan (Lyon) and Todd (Murphy).
"From what I've seen in the nets, he bowls some really good balls. He was pretty consistent where he was bowling in Dubai and in the nets here, and that's all you've got to do in these conditions, try to bowl as many good balls in a good area as you can, and the conditions just take over.
"I think he's only bowled (96 balls) back in Australia, but it's entirely different the way you bowl. And I think the way he does bowl and the way the ball comes out suits him quite nicely."
Australia is expected to confirm its line-up later on Wednesday after its final training session.
