Marnus Labuschagne, long seen as a cornerstone of Australia’s Test batting lineup and a possible long-term successor to David Warner, finds himself mired in a difficult stretch of form. His struggles against left-arm seamers were once again laid bare during the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) Final at Lord’s, where he fell cheaply to South African pacer Marco Jansen.

Labuschagne was on Wednesday dismissed for a painstaking 17 off 56 deliveries, edging a rising delivery to wicketkeeper Kyle Verreynne. His innings, which included just a single boundary, did little to steady Australia after a shaky start. The right-hander’s vulnerability against left-arm seam continues to be a pressing concern, since 2022, he has scored just 104 runs off 271 balls against left-arm quicks, falling six times in the process. His average in such matchups stands at a modest 17.33, split evenly between dismissals to deliveries coming over and around the wicket.

Labuschagne’s recent returns reflect a sharp dip compared to his earlier dominance in Test cricket. Throughout the ongoing WTC cycle (2023–25), he has featured regularly in Australia’s middle order but has amassed only 952 runs from 20 matches, including a solitary century and eight fifties, a stark contrast to his once-prolific output.