Pat Cummins’ side slumped to a huge 295-run defeat by India in the opening Test of the vseries in Perth.
After Australia struggled with the ball in hand on Thursday, with Virat Kohli and Yashasvi Jaiswal both hitting centuries for the tourists, a victory for the hosts seemed to be edging further and further away.
Starting the fourth day with 12 runs for three wickets, it had seemed a tall order for Australia but their batting collapse seemed to carry on into Monday morning, after Pat Cummins, Marnus Labuschagne and Nathan McSweeney, who stepped to the crease late on Sunday afternoon were all dismissed.
Despite an inspired 89 from Travis head and 47 runs from Mitchell Marsh, Australia conceded the first Test in Perth managing a second innings score of 238.
It’s been a difficult week for Australia’s batters after the Baggy Greens struggled to score runs on a pacey wicket, with Indian bowlers Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj dominating on the Perth pitch.
Australia’s bowlers, meanwhile, endured a day to forget on Sunday as they struggled to make in roads on India’s top order, with the tourists declaring after setting the hosts a target of 534 runs.
Questions have been raised over the form of Labuschagne following the match, after the No 3 was sent walking for lbw on Sunday afternoon on the fifth delivery he had faced.
The Glamorgan and Queensland batsman had not even offered a shot, before a ball from Siraj found him floundering wide of his crease, before it struck him square in the pads.
He would subsequently review the decision, which many fans online thought was plum, with television match officials concurring with the on field decision.
‘Labuschagne’s got it horribly wrong,’ James Brayshaw said on Channel Seven’s coverage.
Former Test bowler Damien Fleming offered his view on the dismissal on SEN, claiming: ‘You can handle playing a shot to a good ball and getting an outside edge.
‘That type of dismissal is just not good enough from your No.3 in a tough battle.
‘It was a good length, it was just outside off stump, it didn’t do anything extreme.’
Australian cricket journalist Peter Lalor claimed it was ‘inexplicable’ that Labuschagne, 30, did not attempt to use his bat to fend off the delivery.
SEN commentator and Footy broadcasting legend Gerard Whateley claimed that his misjudgement shows he has ‘lost technique’ before questioning the Aussie No 3’s credentials in the Test side.
‘You cannot go out there without the intention to use your bat. It’s so symbolic of where he finds himself in his game,’ Whateley said.
‘He’s going to have to be relieved of his place in the team.’
More to follow…
