Daijiworld Media Network- Bridgetown

Bridgetown, Jun 20: In a surprising move ahead of their three-Test tour of the West Indies, the Australian cricket team has dropped middle-order mainstay Marnus Labuschagne for the opening Test. The decision was confirmed by George Bailey, Chair of Selectors, who also revealed that Steve Smith will miss the first match due to a finger injury sustained during the World Test Championship final against South Africa.

Labuschagne, once a dependable figure in Australia’s Test setup, has seen a dip in form. In the WTC final at Lord’s, where he opened the batting, he could only muster 17 and 22 runs on a difficult pitch. His last Test century came nearly a year ago — in Manchester against England during the 2023 Ashes. Since then, he has averaged a modest 24.7 over 16 matches.

Speaking about the decision, Bailey said, “Marnus at his best can be a really important member of this team. He understands his output hasn't been at the level we, or he, expects. We will continue working with him on areas of his game that need rediscovery.”

With Steve Smith still nursing a finger injury he picked up while fielding in slips, Australia will be forced to reshuffle their top order. Bailey confirmed Smith is not yet ready for competitive cricket, saying, “Steve needs more time for the wound to heal. We’ll give him another week's rest and assess his functionality thereafter.”

In the absence of the two senior batters, Josh Inglis and Sam Konstas will be drafted into the playing XI. The final batting order is yet to be decided and will be announced closer to match day.

The first Test of the series is set to begin on Wednesday at Bridgetown, and all eyes will be on how the new-look Australian lineup copes with the Caribbean challenge.