Marnus Labuschagne has retained his place in Australia’s 16-man Test squad for the upcoming tour of South Africa, despite enduring a protracted slump in form that saw his position come under intense scrutiny.
The 30-year-old batter was included in the squad alongside recall recipient Cooper Connolly, while fast bowler Michael Neser and left-arm spinner Matthew Kuhnemann also earned selections. Labuschagne’s place had been subject to debate following a lean patch that stretches back to July 2023, the date of his last Test century. Across his subsequent 43 innings, he has managed an average of just 24.69.
His struggles continued during Australia’s recent Test series against Bangladesh, where he posted scores of 1, 31, and 4. Having already lost his place in Australia’s One-Day International squads for recent tours of Zimbabwe and South Africa, selectors have nevertheless opted to show faith in the South African-born cricketer for the high-profile red-ball campaign in his country of birth.
Addressing the selection, chief selector George Bailey acknowledged the top-order batter’s poor form while reiterating the panel’s belief in his underlying quality.
“We are not shying away from the fact that we want more runs from Marnus,” Bailey stated. “However, we firmly believe he still has a positive contribution to make to this side.”
Young batter Cooper Connolly returns to the Test setup following an impressive showing in Bangladesh earlier this year, where he struck a maiden ODI century despite possessing a modest first-class record. Bailey highlighted the youngster’s adaptability and willingness to develop, noting that Connolly consistently absorbs lessons whenever introduced to the international environment.
The squad also sees the return of Queensland pace bowler Michael Neser, who has recovered from injury, whilst Matthew Kuhnemann joins Nathan Lyon as a second slow-bowling option. Although South African pitches rarely demand a twin-spin attack, Kuhnemann’s inclusion is expected to provide Australia’s top order with crucial practice against left-arm orthodox spin ahead of facing South Africa’s Keshav Maharaj.
The three-Test series forms part of the 2025–27 ICC World Test Championship cycle, with fixtures scheduled to take place in Durban, Gqeberha, and Cape Town this October. The series carries added intrigue following the previous World Test Championship final at Lord’s, where South Africa defeated Australia to lift the trophy.
Australia Test Squad:
Pat Cummins (c), Josh Inglis (wk), Alex Carey (wk), Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Scott Boland, Michael Neser, Beau Webster, Matt Renshaw, Marnus Labuschagne, Travis Head, Cameron Green, Steven Smith, Nathan Lyon, Matthew Kuhnemann, Cooper Connolly.
