India vs Australia: 'Playing 1st class gives us slight advantage in Tests': Labuschagne

Australia's rising star Marnus Labuschagne believes that home team will enjoy a slight vant going into Test series against India as most of its top-order players will be coming in after having played a fair amount of first-class cricket.

Labuschagne, who contributed a solid 70 off 61 balls in second ODI which Australia won by 51 runs on Sunday, has scored two hundreds in three Sheffield Shield matches.

"It definitely helps to have a few games under your belt just to get pace and timing of game from T20s to one-dayers to four-day cricket," he replied to a query from PTI during a virtual media interaction facilitated by series' official brocaster Sony.

Indian players, who h played IPL and w ODIs, last played red-ball cricket in New Zealand and will only have two three-day games to get into groove.

"But a lot of se (Indian) players we're talking about, y've been doing it for a long time, y're t new to changes of format. I'd be surprised if y didn't shift back into gear very quickly.

"I will say that it's a slight vant, four out of our top six have been playing Shield cricket and got that rhythm as a batting group." With David Warner ruled out of last ODI as well as upcoming T20 Internationals, Labuschagne won't mind a chance to open innings if he is asked about it.

"Certainly, if I got asked to open batting absolutely. It's an opportunity that I would enjoy taking. We'll wait and see how our team shapes up for next game and see balance of side, but yeah, I would love doing it," Labuschagne said.

"My role at .4 is just to re situation of game and play my role accordingly," he said.

Asked how Warner is emotionally dealing with injury setback that happened during second ODI, Labuschagne insisted that he is fine.

"He is a strong character and he will come back. Also his absence is an opportunity for someone else." Steve Smith's form is something that will obviously help Australia in Test series, feels Labuschagne.

"Cricket's a massive confidence game and even though it's a different format, it still gives you a lot of confidence when you're scoring runs consistently and way Steve and Davey are batting currently, I've got doubt y'll be able to transfer that into Test summer.

"But right w re's still a lot of games to be played before that, we've just got to make sure we finish this one-day series well and n straight into T20s where we start really well." Smith's second ODI hundred is one of best according to Labuschagne and he called his form scary.

"That was one of best innings I've seen in one-day cricket, t only from Steve but from anyone," 26-year-old said.

"I think way he batted yesterday was superb. It almost felt like he didn't give an opportunity, didn't really take any risk, but he got a hundred off 62 balls.

"When someone's doing that, that's kind of scary." About his own innings, he was happy to have a partnership with Smith.

"It was really nice to build that partnership with him, 136, it was just nice to keep ticking it over and we were really busy through that middle part when we came toger. n towards back end, Steve really took game on and that's how we got 390.

"y're two very big scores in last two games, thanks obviously to Steve." 

Im credits: Twitter