Australia drop Labuschagne for New Zealand Test series

Australia have dropped batter Marnus Labuschagne for their upcoming four-Test home series against New Zealand starting December 9 in Perth. Selection chair George Bailey confirmed that the 32-year-old will not be considered following a prolonged slump, having averaged just 23.66 in 10 Tests since returning during the previous Ashes series.

Labuschagne managed only 131 runs across three Tests in Australia's recent 2-1 defeat in South Africa and has now gone 49 innings without a Test century. Bailey noted that Labuschagne could still earn a recall for early next year's tour of India or the next Ashes series by scoring runs for Queensland.