Across his past five Tests, dating back to January this year, Labuschagne has scored 123 runs at an average of 13.66.
There have been seven single-figure dismissals in that run and his average would be considerably lower but for an innings of 90 against New Zealand.
The decline has been going on for two years, with Labuschagne’s average almost half of what it was in his opening 52 Test innings.
There is a notable change in his statistics – and perhaps his technique – before the start of the South Africa series in December 2022 and after it.
In the opening phase he averaged 54.77 against good-length deliveries from seamers.
That was the third-highest of any Test batter in that period after New Zealand duo Devon Conway and Henry Nicholls (minimum 500 good-length balls).
But since that South Africa series began, Labuschagne has averaged 15.33 against good-length deliveries, which is the third-lowest against that particular length (minimum 300 good-length balls).
He is also more vulnerable to balls in the channel outside off stump. In the first period, he averaged a world-leading 78.55, but that has dropped to 17.50 – the lowest in the world.
This could be related to a change in his foot movement early in his innings.
In the first period of his career, he played forward to 49% of the first 30 deliveries he faced and played 33% on the back foot. Those percentages have become 30 and 35 in the second phase of his career.
His interception point – where a batter makes contact with the ball on average – has actually come forward by 15cm, suggesting he is attempting to play the ball sooner, perhaps in an attempt to reduce the chances of being out lbw.
“You wouldn’t be human if it didn’t affect you in some way, it affects some players more than others,” said former Australia captain Steve Waugh on TNT Sports.
“Playing in club cricket should be an option for Marnus, just to get your feet going, get the ball out of the middle and just make you feel good about yourself.”
England’s Ashes-winning captain Michael Vaughan added: “The other school of thought for someone like Marnus Labuschagne – who is a big thinker of the game and from the outside looks like he might overcomplicate it a little bit – is just not pick up a bat for week. Go and switch off.”
