Marnus Labuschagne will take centre stage for Australia when the ODI series against India begins from January 14 onwards at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. The 25-year-old has emerged to be Australia's newest Test sensation following his astounding 2019 wherein he had finished at the highest run-getter for the calendar year. The board subsequently put forth his name for the ODI series in India to harness his form in aiming for a back-to-back ODI series win against India. And ahead of the series, Labuschagne revealed that he is eyeing to grab the No.3 spot in the batting lineup and hence push Steve Smith one place down the order.
Labuschagne will make his ODI debut in the three-game series against India and he is willing to grab Smith's batting position, one where the former skipper appeared 56 times in the format - third only to Ricky Ponting (339) and Dean Jones (131) - while scoring seven of his eight ODI tons.
“I bat at three for Queensland so (I’d like to bat) three or four,” Labuschagne said. “Batting in the middle order for Queensland probably means that’s why I’m here and what I’ve been selected for.”
Labuschagne scored 364 runs at 60.66 for Queensland Bulls in last years's Marsh Cup and hence feels he can emulate the same against India. Although, he does realise the Smith will have the final say in this regard.
“I’m not sure where Steve’s going to bat, I think that’ll have a pretty big influence if I play, where I will play,” he said.
As for the opponents, Labuschagne played against India only once, 2018 in the fourth Test of the Border-Gavaskar series where he had scored 38 while batting at No.3.
“They’re the toughest opponent in the world at the moment in any format, so to be able to play them on their home grounds will be a real challenge and it’s exciting,” he said.
“As a player you want to play against the best and perform against the best and there’s no better place to do it in India against India.”
