Sydney, Nov 4 — Former Australia captain Greg Chappell believes Marnus Labuschagne’s lean run is a problem of the mind rather than technique, adding that a break from Test cricket now looks unavoidable for the struggling right-handed batter.
Labuschagne continues to endure a prolonged slump in Test cricket - having failed to reach three figures in the format since the 2023 Ashes. Since then, Labuschagne has gone 26 Tests and 49 innings without hitting a century.
In this extended lean patch, Labuschagne has managed only 1,094 runs at a dismal average of 24.31, with nine half-centuries. His struggles were further highlighted during Australia’s recent 2-1 series loss in South Africa, where he amassed just 131 runs across six innings with the highest score of 39.
“The ancients understood that the mind rules the body, meaning any real battle against adversity is fought upstairs first. For Marnus Labuschagne, as he looks to find his best form again, any turnaround has to start in his head.
Almost every elite batter who has played at the highest level for an extended period goes through what I call Elite Players Decline Syndrome (EPDS). Sachin Tendulkar asked me years ago why batting gets harder as you get older. Surely it must get easier! As I explained to Sachin, it gets harder because you know how difficult it is to make runs against quality bowling attacks, and you get more conservative as you age.
“The only way I know to overcome EPDS is to recreate the thought processes of your younger self. That is easier said than done. Watching Marnus recently, I suspect he too is suffering from EPDS. When I hear him talk about having to work harder, I doubt he will turn his form around anytime soon,” wrote Chappell in his column for Cricinfo on Wednesday.
He also drew a contrast between Labuschagne’s current dip in form with his peak years, adding that being late into hitting the ball suggested that negative thoughts were stopping him from picking the ball out of the bowler’s hand.
“I remember watching Marnus in his pomp and seeing his feet move quickly, like John Travolta's on the dance floor. He was obviously watching the ball closely out of the bowler's hand, picking up clues from the bowler's body language, and pouncing on deliveries like a seagull on food scraps.
“If you look at footage of those times, you will notice that his stance looked very athletic, with his weight solely on the balls of his feet. His footwork was decisive, and he got to the pitch of the ball in a flash. He could attack nearly every delivery. Timing and placement were his hallmark.
“To watch him now, he is crab-like at the crease and rarely makes contact with the ball in front of the popping crease. Where he once got to the ball a metre in front of the crease with a full, flowing bat, he is now prodding around, searching for the ball with his hands.
“Marnus is often late to the hitting area, which suggests to me that his head is running rampant with negative thoughts that prevent him from truly seeing the ball out of the hand. Where he was once cat-like in his movements, he is now flat-footed, as though he doesn't pick up the ball until it is halfway down the pitch,” he elaborated.
Chappell further stated performance anxiety had taken hold of Labuschagne and could not be fixed in the middle of a contest. His advice to the right-handed batter was to spend some time at the beach to clear his head first, and only then make a return to first-class cricket.
“In his heyday Marnus trusted his subconscious mind to make his decisions. All he had to do was give the conscious mind what it was designed for: seeing the ball out of the hand and intending to score. Now I believe he has lost confidence in the subconscious doing the job, so he lets the conscious mind take over every action, like a control-freak manager.
“The conscious mind can't run the program as efficiently and it botches the task. Marnus needs a circuit breaker, and Sheffield Shield cricket alone won't provide one. A few days by the sea to clear his head and only then a return to first-class cricket. If he goes straight back into action, I fear the cycle will continue.
“If he is looking for something to do after a swim, it is to watch the video of his 215 against New Zealand at the SCG in January 2020. It highlights his athletic stance and his positive attitude and intent. If he can recapture that mindset, he will go a long way toward turning his form around,” he concluded.