{"id":453787,"date":"2025-06-18T20:50:11","date_gmt":"2025-06-18T20:50:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/?p=453787"},"modified":"2025-06-18T23:13:49","modified_gmt":"2025-06-18T23:13:49","slug":"last-chance-grim-reality-check-for-battling-aussie-stars","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/?p=453787","title":{"rendered":"'Last chance': Grim reality check for battling Aussie stars"},"content":{"rendered":"

T\ufeffhe pressure around Marnus Labuschagne<\/a> and Usman Khawaja<\/a> is growing by the day, with two Australian cricket greats admitting both batters are on their last legs.<\/p>\n

After a shock loss to South Africa in the World Test Championship final, calls for change have been growing louder when it comes to Australia's top-order.<\/p>\n

The side will have an immediate chance to shake things up when they head to the Caribbean to \ufeffface the West Indies, with young opener Sam Konstas<\/a> in line for a recall.<\/p>\n

PLAYER RATINGS:<\/strong> 'Out of his depth' Blue will be 'first dropped' after loss<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

\ufeffREAD MORE:<\/strong> Munster drops F-bomb in emotional post-game interview<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

READ MORE:<\/strong> Luai escapes ban over nasty act<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

\"Sam<\/p>\n

Steve Smith is expected to miss at least the first Test due to injury<\/a>, which should make it easier in theory for selectors to shuffle the deck and bring Konstas back.<\/p>\n

However, when the run-scoring machine returns at his usual No.4 spot, it could see either Labuschagne or Khawaja on the chopping block with the Ashes on the horizon.<\/p>\n

Speaking on SEN's Whateley<\/em> this week, Jason Gillespie<\/a> was asked whether he believed Labuschagne would retain his spot and admitted the Windies tour was the "last chance" for the polarising batter to turn his career around.<\/p>\n

"It's a difficult question," the former Aussie quick said.<\/p>\n

"Over the last two years, he's averaged in the mid-20s and he's got only one hundred. If he does play in the Caribbean, I think it's definitely last chance saloon, there's no doubt.<\/p>\n

\"Marnus<\/p>\n

"If he doesn't perform strongly, then I think he's at a real risk of not playing in the Ashes … but I suspect either one of Usman or Marnus will miss out in the West Indies.<\/p>\n

"That's my estimation."\ufeff<\/p>\n

The heat on Khawaja also centres largely around his age, with the \ufeffleft-handed opener set to turn 39 in the midst of the upcoming Ashes series.<\/p>\n

Ian Healy<\/a> is adamant if Khawaja doesn't turn things around soon, it will be a major "risk" to allow him to head into the five-game battle against England out of form. \ufeff<\/p>\n

"If you limp to the end of your career and the last series you're hanging out for is the Ashes, it's going to be a nightmare," Healy said on SENQ Breakfast<\/em>.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

"England are coming. They're coming for us big time. They're picking the right style of bowler and they're looking at batsmen who can prosper in Australian conditions.<\/p>\n

"If you're not right on the top of your energy levels and your technique – which we're not at the moment \u2013 you're going to get hurt. In your last series if you're not there, if you thought it was going to be fun, it's a nightmare.<\/p>\n

"We're less than six months from this big series we're supposed to be building towards, and the issues haven't been fixed. Do we fix them now? Or do we replace them?<\/p>\n

"It's a bit of an unknown who we're going to replace them with."<\/p>\n

Along with young prodigy Konstas, the other man in contention to force his way into the side moving forward is Josh Inglis<\/a>, who starred on debut against Sri Lanka.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Gillespie believes that with Smith at No.4 and Travis Head at No.5, as well as all-rounder Cameron Green somewhere in the mix, Inglis could become a potential option at three.<\/p>\n

"I think those guys [Smith and Head] are pretty set," Gillespie said.<\/p>\n

"I think ultimately the selectors have got to decide – is Inglis the best man to do the job at three, or is Marnus the best man to do the job at three?<\/p>\n

"If they are, then play one of those guys. If not, then reward some performers in domestic cricket with either an opener or a number three who has performed strongly in Sheffield Shield cricket to promote one of those players to bat at three."<\/p>\n

Nathan McSweeney, Jason Sangha, Jake Weatherald and Kurtis Patterson have all been floated as potential options<\/a> to come into the Test squad.<\/p>\n

\"Jason<\/p>\n

Sangha is coming off a strong campaign at S\ufeffhield level, having scored a century in South Australia's triumphant win in the final, while McSweeney was given a brief opportunity in the Aussie team last summer, only to be axed shortly after.<\/p>\n

Patterson had a short stint in the Test side in 201\ufeff9 and hasn't featured since, but enjoyed a return to form during the most recent domestic season.<\/p>\n

The series against the Windies kicks off \ufeffon June 26.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

T\ufeffhe pressure around Marnus Labuschagne and Usman Khawaja is growing by the day, with two Australian cricket greats admitting both batters are on their last […]<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":452729,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/453787"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=453787"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/453787\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":453795,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/453787\/revisions\/453795"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/452729"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=453787"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=453787"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=453787"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}