Ashes 2023: Labuschagne's Dismissal In 2nd Innings At Headingley Showed He's Struggling With Himself, Says Cook

Former England opener Alastair Cook believes Australia's top-order batter Marnus Labuschagne's dismissal in the second innings of third Ashes Test at Headingley showed that he was struggling with himself and needs to find form if the visitors need to win in last two matches.

From appearing as an injury replacement for Steve Smith at Lord's in August 2019 in the Ashes through to the start of this summer, Labuschagne averaged 62. However, the right-hander batter has averaged only 24 and is looking a pale shadow of himself in the current Ashes series, apart from losing his top spot in the Men’s Test batters ranking.

"Credit to England because they have bowled brilliantly to him -- literally from the first ball, when Stuart Broad dismissed him at Edgbaston. Before the series, Broad said he had developed an outswinger with which he was going to target Labuschagne and Smith, and I wonder if that is playing on his mind.

Every professional takes his cricket seriously but Labuschagne seems particularly intense. When he is not playing he spends a lot of his time watching and thinking about the game. I'm not saying England have got inside his head but in Australia's second innings in the third Test at Headingley he looked like a man struggling with himself -- and his dismissal reflected that," wrote Cook in his column for Herald Sun on Sunday.

All the talk heading into the Ashes was about the strength of Australia's in the form of Labuschagne, Steve Smith and Travis Head. While Smith and Head have been able to make an impact in the Ashes, Labuschagne has been unable to do so.

"It doesn't work like that. In the Ashes, you have to go out and win it, especially with so little between these two sides. We can be certain that Stokes' England will start by looking for the positive option but what about when a tight win in Manchester hoves into view?

The tantalising prospect of levelling the series and taking all the momentum into the decider could affect them in the same way that Australia went into their shells at Leeds. His batting on that Friday afternoon was symbolic of the Australian cautiousness which allowed England back into the game," the former England captain said.

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"Even the best go through slumps and right now that is what Marnus Labuschagne is experiencing. If he can’t reverse this decline in the next two matches then Australia’s chances of winning the series are significantly reduced," concluded Cook.