Out-of-form Marnus Labuschagne has been named in the Australia squad for next month’s three-Test tour of South Africa.
Number three Labuschagne, 32, who was born in South Africa, has failed to score a century since 2023 and struggled in two Tests against Bangladesh last month.
Having scored one, 31 and four, he was then left out of Australia’s squad for three one-day internationals in Zimbabwe and another three in South Africa.
“[We’re] not shying away from the fact that we’d like some more runs from Marn… but we’re also confident that he can still make a positive contribution to that squad,” chief Australia selector George Bailey said.
“Our batting group in its entirety, not just Marn, probably hasn’t been functioning as successfully as we would like.”
Asked if the South Africa series would be Labuschagne’s last chance, Bailey replied: “No, I wouldn’t say that. But again, it’s a hypothetical, isn’t it?”
It will be Australia’s first Test series in South Africa since the infamous ‘Sandpapergate’ ball-tampering scandal in 2018.
Captain Steve Smith and vice-skipper David Warner were banned for a year for using sandpaper to damage the ball during the third Test.
Only captain Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon, Smith and Matt Renshaw survive from the 3-1 series defeat in 2018.
Cooper Connolly, Matthew Kuhnemann and Michael Neser were also included in the 16-man squad, which is otherwise unchanged from the last Bangladesh Test.
Australia travel to Durban for the first Test on 9 October before the series moves to Gqeberha and Cape Town.
