Australia drop Labuschagne for first Windies Test

Australia have dropped Marnus Labuschagne for next week's first Test against West Indies in Barbados with Sam Konstas and Josh Inglis coming into the batting line-up for the erstwhile opener and Steve Smith, who is injured.

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Labuschagne opened the batting in the World Test Championship final, contributing scores of 17 and 22 to Australia’s cause as the defending champions lost to South Africa by five wickets.

Labuschange averages 46.19 in 104 Test innings, including 11 centuries and 23 half-centuries, but has struggled for form in recent series.

He hasn't scored a Test hundred since the 2023 Ashes series in Manchester and hasn't scored above 26 in his most recent four Test matches.

Smith dislocated his finger while fielding at Lord's, leaving a vacancy at the top of the batting order for the first match in the three-Test series in the Caribbean.

Though he has avoided surgery and travelled to the Caribbean, he must wear a splint for up to eight weeks but could return for the second Test in Grenada in July.