Smith to miss opening Test due to injury; Labuschagne dropped
SYDNEY, Australia (CMC) — Australia’s talisman Steve Smith has been ruled out of the opening Test match against West Indies next week due to injury, while Marnus Labuschagne will not feature in the three-match Test series after being dropped.
The confirmation was made on Friday by Chairman of Selectors George Bailey who revealed that Smith’s finger injury, sustained in the World Test Championship final against South Africa, would keep him out of the team for the first match which bowls off on June 25, though there are hopes of a return for the second Test in Grenada from July 3.
However, after a lean run of form over the past two years the 30-year-old Labuschagne, who averages 46.19 in 58 Test matches, has lost his place in the team.
Labuschagne was moved up to open in the Lord’s final but made just 17 and 22 in the defeat to South Africa.
The pair will be replaced by Josh Inglis and Sam Konstas, which means Australia will have a significantly different batting line-up to the recently concluded World Test Championship final.
Bailey said while Smith needed additional time to recover, Labuschagne had not been playing at his usual high level.
“Steve needs more time for the wound to heal so we’ll give him another week’s rest and assess his functionality after that.
“We have made the decision to give Josh and Sam the opportunity to replace Steve and Marnus. We are excited to see them get the chance to further their fledgling Test careers,” Bailey said.
“Marnus at his best can be a really important member of this team. He understands his output hasn’t been at the level we, or he, expects.
“We will continue working with him on the areas of his game we feel he needs to rediscover. We continue to value his skill and expect him to work through the challenge positively,” he also added.
The incoming pair have impressed in their early outings, with Konstas turning heads in taking on world number one Test bowler Jasprit Bumrah and compiling a half-century on Boxing Day in Melbourne, and Inglis scoring a century on Test debut in Sri Lanka earlier this year.
Australia Test squad: Pat Cummins (captain), Sam Konstas, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Cameron Green, Steve Smith, Josh Inglis, Travis Head, Alex Carey, Beau Webster, Mitchell Starc, Sean Abbott, Scott Boland, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon, Matt Kuhnemann
