Marnus Labuschagne’s unconventional field setting in the Sheffield Shield highlighted his creativity as a captain.
New Delhi: Marnus Labuschagne, the batting sensation in Australian cricket, continued to surprise everyone in an unusual field setting while captaining Queensland in the Sheffield Shield’s opening round. Labuschagne bowled during the match against Western Australia, and people noticed his strange placement of fields. He asked one of his fielders to stand bang at the back of the umpire inside the circle. That’s quite an unusual position, not mid-on and not mid-off, but rather almost bang behind the stumps. Not even the on-field umpire was expecting this when he turned around and saw him there. End.
MARNUS LABUSCHAGNE AS A CAPTAIN…!!!
– Marnus with one of the craziest fielding position in cricket history. 🤯🔥 pic.twitter.com/tylPbkRbGO
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) October 9, 2024
He was still innovating with his field settings by personally reaching out to the fielder and asking him to go left, thereby bringing him closer to the umpire for the rest of the over. Such a strategic move presented Labuschagne as being very creative as a captain and showcased more interest in his unorthodox on-field moves.
Unorthodox is the new orthodox
— N. Mishra (@mishra_jee_says) October 9, 2024
It turned out to be a clever bluff from the Queensland captain, as the next delivery was a bouncer. However, the batter remained unfazed and easily ducked to avoid the incoming ball, showcasing his awareness and composure in the face of Labuschagne’s unconventional tactics.
Ahead of the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy, former West Indies cricketer Brian Lara issued a warning to Team India, emphasizing that Australia is a “different beast” when playing on their home turf. Lara’s comments highlight the formidable challenge that India will face as they prepare to take on a resilient Australian side in familiar conditions.
In the coming days, Australia will face India in the prestigious Border-Gavaskar Trophy, a highly anticipated clash that promises to deliver intense competition and showcase the best of Test cricket.
The much-anticipated Border-Gavaskar series gets underway from November 22, with the opening Test at Perth. India has been particularly dominant in the series lately, having clinched the last four games played against Australia. Of those were breathtaking wins in their last two tours to Australia in the 2018-19 and 2020-21 seasons, thus proving India’s surge in power in this hard-won series.
This has solidified India’s position as a more successful side in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, having claimed the title 10 times compared to Australia’s five victories. Australia’s last series win came during the 2014-15 season, while their most recent triumph in India dates back to the 2004-05 season, highlighting India’s increasing strength in this prestigious rivalry.
Speaking to reporters, Brian Lara noted that the conditions in India have evolved over time. He praised the Indian Premier League (IPL), highlighting how the T20 tournament fosters a different level of competition for young cricketers, ultimately enhancing their skills and preparing them for the demands of international cricket.
“I think the adjustment is upstairs. The adjustment is the ability to back your talent in whatever conditions. I say this with a pinch of salt, because conditions in India have changed. With the IPL, you’ve got international players coming – and you’re feeding your players a different level of competition, which is great. So I don’t think there’s much that he (Yashasvi Jaiswal) has to do technically. I just think mentally (he has to adjust): travelling away from home, (and) playing against Australia; Australia, on their shores, are a different beast,” Lara told ESPNcricinfo.
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