Melbourne [Australia], December 3 : Former Australian wicketkeeper-batter Adam Gilchrist has weighed in on Marnus Labuschagne's recent dip in form, attributing it to challenging conditions and strong opposition rather than technical flaws as per Nine's Wide World of Sports.
Gilchrist emphasized that Labuschagne remains a "class act" despite his current struggles.
"I'm sure the people around him are already doing this but he needs to be reminded that he is a class act," said Gilchrist in a discussion with Nine's Wide World of Sports,
"He's got a game that has been able to tolerate and withstand everything that the cricketing world has presented, and he's dominated for a number of years," he added.
Gilchrist pointed out that Labuschagne might be overthinking his approach, leading to a more defensive style of play. He noted that this mental shift is common among cricketers facing a rough patch.
"Most players that have played long enough will have been in this situation at some point in time and it's about not letting any self-doubt creep in and understanding you don't lose that skill -- you don't lose that edge -- [and] certainly not in a short space of time," Gilchrist explained, as quoted by Nine's Wide World of Sports.
Drawing from his own experience, Gilchrist offered straightforward advice to Labuschagne.
"Trust your training, get out there, see the ball and play it," he said.
Labuschagne managed scores of 2 and 3 in the first Test against in Perth, as Australia crashed to a 295-run loss. It was the latest in a long line of lower scores for Labuschagne.
Having accumulated the third-most runs in the WTC 2021-23 cycle, the right-hand batter has managed just 658 runs in 13 Tests in the current cycle. He averages 13.66 across five Tests after his two half-centuries against Pakistan in early January this year.
The second Test, scheduled from December 6 to 10 at the Adelaide Oval, will feature the exciting day-night format under lights. The third Test will take place at The Gabba in Brisbane from December 14 to 18.
The iconic Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground will run from December 26 to 30, marking the penultimate match of the series.
The fifth and final Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground, set for January 3 to 7, will bring the series to an exciting conclusion.