MELBOURNE: Australia’s Marnus Labuschagne said on Tuesday he remains confident about returning to the test side after selectors left him out of next month’s four-Test home series against New Zealand following a prolonged slump in form.

The 32-year-old number three, once the world’s top-ranked test batter, has gone 49 innings without a century and endured another poor tour of South Africa, scoring zero and four in the final Test as Australia lost the match and series 2-1.

“I’ve got no doubt I will be back there. When? Who knows,” Labuschagne told reporters. “I think my path back into the Australia team will work itself out. I’ve done it before. It’s something that I truly want.”

Labuschagne has averaged 23.66 and managed only two half-centuries in 10 Tests since being dropped for the three-Test series against West Indies in the Caribbean last year.

Published in Dawn, November 12th, 2026