He is crab-like at the crease: Chappell on how Labuschagne can turn form around

Former Australia player Greg Chappell shared some tips for out-of-form batter Marnus Labuschagne, saying that his turnaround 'has to start in his head'. The Australia No.3 has come under a lot of flak, having not scored a Test century in over 3 years.

"For Marnus Labuschagne, as he looks to find his best form again, any turnaround has to start in his head," Chappell wrote in his column for Cricinfo. The former batter also mentioned what he calls 'Elite Players Decline Syndrome (EPDS)', something he feels Marnus is suffering from and Indian icon Sachin Tendulkar also faced during his career, where batting gets harder as one ages.

"Almost every elite batter who has played at the highest level for an extended period goes through what I call Elite Players Decline Syndrome (EPDS). Sachin Tendulkar asked me years ago why batting gets harder as you get older. Surely it must get easier! As I explained to Sachin, it gets harder because you know how difficult it is to make runs against quality bowling attacks, and you get more conservative as you age. The only way I know to overcome EPDS is to recreate the thought processes of your younger self. That is easier said than done," he wrote.

"Watching Marnus recently, I suspect he too is suffering from EPDS. When I hear him talk about having to work harder, I doubt he will turn his form around anytime soon. His struggle to get past 40 in recent Tests is a testament to this. Under these circumstances, making 40 takes more effort than a century once did, and mental errors usually bring about your downfall," he added.

Chappell also compared Labuschagne's movements during his heyday to the way he plays nowadays, which he described as almost 'crab-like'.

"I remember watching Marnus in his pomp and seeing his feet move quickly, like John Travolta's on the dance floor. He was obviously watching the ball closely out of the bowler's hand, picking up clues from the bowler's body language, and pouncing on deliveries like a seagull on food scraps. If you look at footage of those times, you will notice that his stance looked very athletic, with his weight solely on the balls of his feet. His footwork was decisive, and he got to the pitch of the ball in a flash. He could attack nearly every delivery. Timing and placement were his hallmark," Greg said.

"To watch him now, he is crab-like at the crease and rarely makes contact with the ball in front of the popping crease. Where he once got to the ball a metre in front of the crease with a full, flowing bat, he is now prodding around, searching for the ball with his hands. Where he was once cat-like in his movements, he is now flat-footed, as though he doesn't pick up the ball until it is halfway down the pitch. Flat feet do not let you access the ground-reaction forces that help you move forward or back. He now has very few balls he can attack, which feeds his frustration," he added.

Since his century in July 2023 at Old Trafford, Labuschagne hasn't scored a Test ton in his next 26 Tests and 49 innings. He has made just 1,094 runs at a subpar average of 24.31, with nine fifties. During the most recent Test series against South Africa away from home, Marnus could score just 131 runs across six innings, with a best score of 39, throwing away some promising starts.