Steve Smith, Australia's stand-in captain, expresses confidence in Marnus Labuschagne's ability to rediscover his form after a recent slump. Smith draws parallels with his own recent batting resurgence, highlighting the importance of seizing opportunities and maintaining faith in one's abilities. He predicts that Labuschagne's turnaround is imminent. Meanwhile, Australia celebrates its first Test series victory in Sri Lanka since 2011.
Steve Smith , the stand-in captain for Australia , has predicted a turnaround in runs for his struggling teammate Marnus Labuschagne . Smith drew parallels with his own recent resurgence, highlighting the importance of finding form and capitalizing on opportunities. After Australia 's nine-wicket victory in Galle, securing their first Test series win in Sri Lanka since 2011, Smith was named player of the series.
He delivered an impressive performance, scoring twin centuries and accumulating 272 runs at an average of 136.00. This followed a period of almost 17 months without a Test century, during which Smith struck four hundreds in five matches, effectively silencing any doubts about his batting prowess.Reflecting on his own journey back to form, Smith acknowledged the role of luck, emphasizing that a single good score can provide vital confidence and momentum. He cited a dropped catch early in the first Test as a turning point, allowing him to build a significant innings. Smith also stressed the importance of unwavering faith in one's abilities and trusting the natural ebb and flow of the game. He believes Labuschagne is on the cusp of a similar resurgence, stating that the young batsman is batting well despite his recent struggles.Labuschagne, meanwhile, has faced criticism for his mediocre returns in the Sri Lanka series, managing only 50 runs at an average of 25.00. Despite a valiant unbeaten 26 in Galle on Sunday, his performance has raised concerns about his spot in the starting XI for the World Test Championship final against South Africa in June. The pressure on Labuschagne intensifies with the anticipated return of Cameron Green. Smith, however, remains confident in Labuschagne's abilities, stating that a change in fortunes is just around the corner. He also touched on the performance of young all-rounder Cooper Connolly, who made his Test debut in Galle but had a disappointing outing. Smith expressed his belief in Connolly's potential and acknowledged the challenging circumstances he faced during his debut.Australia's focus now shifts to the upcoming white-ball series against Sri Lanka, with the first ODI scheduled for Wednesday at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo
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