LONDON: Australian batter Marnus Labuschagne pointed out the threat the Indian bowler carries with the 'Duke' ball ahead of the World Test Championship 2023 (WTC) final against India on June 7.
Two months ago the Australian team toured India for a four-match Test series. During that series, the pitch favoured spinners instead of the pace bowlers. Still, the likes of Mohammad Shami and Mohammed Siraj looked lethal with the ball.
Australian batters have experienced the bowling style and the approach Indian bowlers use against the batters. Yet, Labuschagne believes that they will be able to showcase more skills with the Duke ball in their hand.
"Two months ago we played against India, so in terms of seeing them and knowing their actions and what they do we are pretty clear on that," Labuschagne said as quoted by ICC.
"With the Dukes ball in their hand they are going to be able to showcase their skills a lot more."
All eyes will be on the Australian batter as his performance will be crucial to the the level of success Australia achieves in the WTC final.
"Naturally, anyone that is batting No.3 for Australia is going to have responsibility," Labuschagne said.
"Even in 2019 (last time in England for Ashes) it was my responsibility, it was my job to score runs and if I didn't score runs they would find someone else to do my job and I don't think that changes."
"It is about finding ways to score runs and contribute to the side in as many games as I can," Labuschagne concluded.
Earlier this month, Labuschagne struck 170* from just 207 deliveries in Glamorgan's second innings of their Division 2 clash against Yorkshire at Headingley and the right-hander immediately declared it was the best he had felt at the crease for some time.
The 28-year-old only reached 50 once during the four-match Border-Gavaskar series against India earlier this year, and he hadn't scored a century in any format since a stunning 163 against the West Indies in Adelaide in December.
"I have been a bit sort of all over. It hasn't felt like it has come together until that innings. I hit a few nice straight drives, a couple of nice cover drives and a nice flick through mid-wicket. That's probably the most I've felt balanced at the crease, I felt like my head position was in a nice spot, my bat path was coming down nicely," ICC quoted Labuschagne as saying at the end of the day's play.
The Australian would be looking to replicate his performance in the WTC 2023 final.
