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Key Points

Pat Cummins has endorsed Cameron Green as Australia's long-term No. 3 batsman in Test cricket. The Aussie skipper praised Green's recent form while explaining Marnus Labuschagne's exclusion from the West Indies tour. Labuschagne's Test struggles, including a poor WTC final, led to his omission. Australia's squad for the Barbados Test includes Green but not Labuschagne.

Key Points: Pat Cummins Backs Cameron Green as Long-Term No. 3 in Tests

  • Cummins confirms Green as Australia's future No. 3
  • Labuschagne dropped due to poor Test form
  • West Indies tour squad announced
  • Green praised for strong recent performances
3 min read

We see him as a long-term option: Pat Cummins backs Cameron Green for No. 3 spot in test

Australia captain Pat Cummins supports Cameron Green for No. 3 in Tests while addressing Marnus Labuschagne's exclusion from the West Indies tour.

"We see that Green at No. 3 as a long-term option. He's hitting the ball really well. – Pat Cummins"

New Delhi June 25

Ahead of the first test in Barbados from Wednesday, against West Indies, Australia skipper Pat Cummins spoke on the number 3 batting position in the test squad.

Aussie skipper felt Cameron Green is a long-term option for no. 3 slot, and he has been hitting the ball really well. West Indies and Australia have announced that they are playing XIs for the opening Test in Barbados.

"I always like to not have too many moving parts. We see that [Green at No. 3] as a long-term option. I think going into last week, he's hitting the ball really well, he's moving really well. He had a Test match where it obviously didn't go to plan. Think he only faced three or four balls, so the message is not to look into that too much. We're really happy with where his game's placed and I dare say we'll get a decent run of No. 3," Pat Cummins said as quoted from ESPNcricinfo.

While speaking on Australia batter Marnus Labuschagne's not being included in the squad for the West Indies tour, Cummins said Labuschagne, at his best, is well and truly an international-standard Test batter, but he has to fight his way back into the team.

"I think him at his best is a well and truly an international standard Test batter. If there's an opening, we could see him fighting his way back into the Test team at some point. Obviously the focus now is giving a couple of other guys a go. He's had a pretty good run and obviously didn't make the most of it as well as he would like, so [we are] offering that opportunity to the next couple of guys," Cummins added.

Labuschagne has finally run out of time and been dropped from the squad. Considering his silent outings with the bat and a Test century drought in Tests, Labuschagne was promoted to the opening slot in the WTC final against South Africa.

During his outing in the WTC final at Lord's, which was the last act of faith from selectors, Labuschagne returned with scores of 17 and 22, continuing with his elongated lean patch in Test format, according to ESPNcricinfo.

Australia Test squad: Pat Cummins (c), Sean Abbott, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Sam Konstas, Matt Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Beau Webster.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

R
Rahul K.
Interesting move by Australia! Green at No. 3 shows they're planning for the future. But dropping Labuschagne seems harsh - he's been a solid performer. Hope this doesn't backfire for them like some of our Indian team experiments have in the past! 🇮🇳🏏
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Priya M.
As an Indian cricket fan, I'm always watching how other teams manage transitions. Australia's approach is bold but calculated. We could learn from their willingness to give young players consistent opportunities rather than constant chopping and changing.
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Arjun S.
Cameron Green reminds me of a young Hardik Pandya - all-rounder with great potential. Hope he gets proper backing unlike how we sometimes treat our young talents. The pressure at No. 3 is different though! Will be interesting to watch.
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Sneha P.
Labuschagne's drop shows no one's place is safe in top teams, not even after great initial performances. This should be a lesson for some of our players who become complacent after a couple of good seasons. Performance matters more than reputation!
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Vikram J.
Cummins' leadership continues to impress. His clear communication about team strategy is something other captains could learn from. No vague statements, just straightforward planning. Hope our management is taking notes before the next Border-Gavaskar series!
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Neha R.
While I respect Australia's decision, I feel they're being too harsh on Labuschagne. Every player goes through rough patches - even Kohli did. They should have given him this West Indies series to regain form against relatively easier opposition.

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