Marnus Labuschagne: Decoding his stats in The Ashes
England are Australia are set to face off in what is hailed as cricket's oldest rivalry, The Ashes. The five-Test series gets underway on June 16 with England being the hosts this time around. Several prominent stars will be on display including Marnus Labuschagne, the current top-ranked batter in Tests. He has some fine memories in England. Here we decode his stats in Ashes.
Rise in Ashes 2019
Though Labuschagne made his Test debut in October 2018, it was Ashes 2019 which truly saw his rise at the highest level. The second Test at the Lord's witnessed him become the first-ever concussion substitute in international cricket as he replaced Steve Smith midway through the game. The young batter brilliantly utilized the opportunity and smoked a 100-ball 59 in Australia's second innings.
His returns in Ashes 2019
Labuschagne did not look back after the Lord's Test as he cemented his place in the XI. He finished Ashes 2019 with 353 runs in seven innings at 50.43. The batter smoked the joint-most fifties in that series (4). Only Smith (774) smothered more runs among Australians in that series. Overall, Labuschagne finished the series as the fourth-highest run-getter.
Second-most runs in 2021-22 Ashes
Labuschagne extended his love affair with England bowlers in the 2021-22 Ashes, which hosts Australia clinched 4-0. The batter was among the runs throughout the series as he hammered 335 runs at a decent average of 41.88. The tally includes two fifties and a solitary ton. Only Travis Head (357) smashed more runs in that series. Labuschagne will be determined to enhance his record.
His overall Ashes numbers
Overall, Labuschagne has raced to 688 runs in nine Tests against the Brits at 45.86 (50s: 6, 100s: 1). Meanwhile, the ongoing ICC World Test Championship final between India and Australia is Labuschagne's only other Test assignment in England so far besides Ashes 2019. He scored 26 and 41 in the all-important game, racing to 420 Test runs in England at 46.66.
Joint-second-fastest to 3,000 Test runs
In December 2022, Labuschagne became the joint-second-fastest batter to complete 3,000 Test runs, having taken just 51 innings. He accomplished the milestone versus West Indies in the Day-Night Test. Only Aussie legend Donald Bradman has reached the milestone faster (33 innings). Overall, he has raced to 3,461 runs in 38 Tests at 56.73. The tally includes 15 tons and 10 fifties (200s: 2).
