Australia Drops Marnus Labuschagne From Test Squad for New Zealand Series
Australia's chairman of selectors, George Bailey, confirmed that Marnus Labuschagne will miss the entire four-Test series against New Zealand, which opens December 9 in Perth. Bailey said a recall for the tours of India and England remains possible.
Australia's chairman of selectors, George Bailey, confirmed on Monday, November 9, 2026, that Marnus Labuschagne has been dropped from the Test squad for the four-Test series against New Zealand. The squad itself has not yet been named.
Australia's next Test begins on December 9 in Perth. Bailey told reporters the out-of-form batter would not be considered for any match in the series.
The door is not closed. Bailey said Labuschagne could still return for the tours of India and England that follow.
"This gives him a little bit of space and clears up a bit of conjecture ... and we'll pick the rest of that squad at the end of round four of Sheffield Shield," Bailey said.
Asked about a recall after the trans-Tasman series, he said: "It's still possible, absolutely. He's always been an incredible performer at first-class level."
Bailey added that there was no specific message for Labuschagne to act on. "There's no message to go back and do anything in particular, the currency is pretty obvious," he said.
Labuschagne, 32, was once ranked the world's top batter. He scored 10 centuries in his first 33 Tests and averaged 59.43 over that stretch.
His form has since collapsed. A tour of South Africa brought scores of zero, four, 14, 39, 37 and 37, extending a run of 49 innings without a Test century.
It is not the first time he has been left out. Labuschagne was briefly dropped for last year's tour of the West Indies, then batted his way back for the home Ashes with two centuries for Queensland in the Sheffield Shield, Australia's domestic first-class competition.
He will go back to leading Queensland in the Shield as he tries to rebuild his confidence and form. Some pundits had once tipped him as a future national captain.
Bailey said the selectors know what Labuschagne can offer. "We all know how good and how effective Marnus can be at his best, but that performance hasn't been there," he said.
"He's pragmatic, he knows that the fundamental nature of being a batter in the top six is to score runs and that just hasn't happened."
The rest of the squad will be chosen after round four of the Sheffield Shield.
