Marnus Labuschagne leapfrogs Joe Root to become No 1 Test batter

Australia batter Marnus Labuschagne is the new number one ranked batter in the latest Test Rankings. The 27-year-old scored 103 and 51 in the Adelaide Test against England in the ongoing Ashes. He also scored a vital 74 runs in the first innings of the Brisbane Test. Labuschagne’s prolific returns in two Tests have helped him leapfrog Joe Root, who has not been able to match up to his standards in the Ashes. The England batter scored 62 and 24 in the Pink-ball Test in Adelaide. Root got starts in both innings but that elusive hundred has eluded him.

The skipper along with Dawid Malan are the only batters who have been able to resist the Australian bowlers a bit. Root, who has been in staggering form in Tests in 2021, has singlehandedly carried the team’s batting on his shoulders this year. He has scored 1630 runs in 14 Test matches, which includes six hundreds this year. However, in the two Ashes Test matches, Root has not been able to play big knocks.

Meanwhile, Labuschagne seems to be playing on a different league. The 27-year-old has made batting look easy. He played to the situation in Adelaide and was ready to grind it out. Labuschagne has played 20 Tests for Australia and scored 2113 runs at a staggering average of 62.15. He has significantly contributed at number three and has managed to even draw comparisons with Steve Smith for his humongous appetite for scoring runs. Labuschagne is the current leading run-getter in the ongoing Ashes, with 228 runs in four innings. Australia are currently leading the series 2-0. The third Test begins on December 26 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG)