"Don't be surprised if he scores a hundred at Gabba": Michael Clarke on Australian batter ahead of third Test

Former Australia player Michael Clarke has said that Marnus Labuschagne is on the verge of scoring a hundred. He commented after the batter amassed a well-compiled fifty in the second Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25.

The right-hander was under pressure after registering twin failures in the series opener at the Optus Stadium in Perth. Mitchell Johnson had urged the selectors to drop the struggling player and send him back to domestic cricket.

However, he bounced back, scoring 64 runs off 128 deliveries after surviving nervy moments on Day 1 of the day-night Test. Sam Konstas was in contention to replace Marnus, but it seems he will have to wait for his chance.

Former Australia opener David Warner is still not convinced.

“I am not convinced with him. He was not at his best,” Warner said on Fox Sports.

Meanwhile, Michael Clarke defended the batter, saying the fifty in Adelaide was just the start from Marnus.

“He didn’t give up on Day 1 under lights. Indian bowlers were guilty of bowling short and too wide of the off stump. But, Marnus deserves a lot of credit for leaving balls,” Clarke said on ESPN’s Around the Wicket show.

“He didn’t score big when you are searching for form, you would take sixty or seventy. You would feel confident in the next innings and more balls would hit in the middle of the bat. Don’t be surprised if he scores a hundred in the Brisbane Test,” he added.

The third Test is set to start on Saturday, December 14, at The Gabba in Brisbane.

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