Labuschagne locked in as preferred No.4 for campaign

Marnus Labuschagne has been affirmed as Australia's preferred option at No.4 this World Cup with head coach Andrew McDonald stating the star batter was "pretty much a lock" in the side's top four.

Labuschagne surged back into World Cup contention last month with a match-winning 80 not out as a concussion substitute that he followed with a century in the first two ODIs against South Africa after initially being dropped for the five-match tour.

The 29-year-old has played Australia's past 17 one-day internationals and is the nation's top run-scorer in the format in 2023 with 464 at 51.55, but the evolution in his approach since being dropped for the South Africa series has been telling.

Labuschagne scored at 64.2 runs per 100 balls faced during the three-match series in India in March, with a dot ball percentage of 53.7 and he faced an average of 22.3 balls per boundary scored.

In the three-match series against the same opposition last month he increased his strike rate to 100, with his dot ball percentage and balls per boundary dropping to 40.6 and 8.6 respectively.

"It's a great story," McDonald told reporters in Chennai ahead of Australia's tournament opener against hosts India on Sunday.

"We were pretty clear on the way that we felt Marn needed to play to fit into the team.

"He went away and worked on that. He's come back a different player, there's no doubt about that.

"Even in the practice game against Pakistan we saw the intent early, the scoring options, his innings are starting with great intent and we love seeing that.

"We always knew he was capable of that but over an extended period of time, prior to his dropping, he wasn't doing that. He was getting that information and full credit to him, he's gone away and worked on his game.

"If you're looking for whether he's a certain starter, then if he's not in your team, I don't know who else you're going to put in there, so I think he's pretty much a lock in that top four."

The right-hander told the Unplayable Podcast ahead of his maiden World Cup campaign that he was confident he was the player Australia needed at No.4 for the tournament, he just needed an opportunity to show selectors after being dropped.

That chance came with Steve Smith ruled out of the South Africa series after the wrist injury he sustained in the Ashes didn't recover in time and then Cameron Green being substituted out of the first ODI against the Proteas with concussion when he was struck by Kagiso Rabada bouncer.

"I did tell selectors when I wasn't included: 'I really feel like I'm the guy for you to bat at No.4. I know I'm not there, I know I haven't performed like I wanted to but I know I'm the person for the job at that spot'," Labuschagne said.

"And then from there I worked hard at home on my one-day game on a few things I wanted to change – a few technical things and just a few mental shifts as well.

"I was feeling very confident. So it was just about if the opportunity was going to arise (but) I felt very confident that I would take it if it did come."

While Travis Head remains at home in Adelaide as he continues his recovery from a fractured hand, Australia also have an injury concern with Marcus Stoinis who picked up a "hamstring complaint" in the first ODI against India last month and hasn't played since.

McDonald said Stonis was "touch and go" to be available for Sunday's clash with the World Cup hosts and faced an important few days to press his case for selection.

Australia will train at MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai over the next three days in the lead up to their tournament opener at the same venue.

With Head missing for at least the first half of the tournament, Labuschagne's leg-spin could also be required throughout the World Cup if conditions dictate more overs of spin above what Adam Zampa and Glenn Maxwell can provide.

"He can give us a chop out at certain times with one or two overs to mix and match a little bit through the middle overs, that's a real possibility," McDonald said.

"There was an investment in him in (the two) practice game(s) and that was something that we wanted to see.

"We've seen him have an impact before with the ball in different formats so we feel as though he can do a role for us.

"We don't see Glenn Maxwell as a part-time spinner, we see him as a lead spinner as well (and) feel as though we've got a very capable right-arm off-spinner to complement Adam Zampa.

"Nine games plus finals for Adam Zampa is not a stretch by any imagination, I think he'll be able to deal with that.

"The gaps in between games gives our players the opportunity to rest, recover and then go again, so we feel as though that's advantageous in a World Cup as opposed to bilateral series."

Australia's 2023 ODI World Cup fixtures

Warm-up match: No result v Netherlands

Warm-up match: Defeated Pakistan by 14 runs

October 8: v India, Chennai (D/N), 7.30pm AEDT

October 12: v South Africa, Lucknow (D/N), 7.30pm AEDT

October 16: v Sri Lanka, Lucknow (D/N), 7.30pm AEDT

October 20: v Pakistan, Bengaluru (D/N), 7.30pm AEDT

October 25: v Netherlands, Delhi (D/N), 7.30pm AEDT

October 28: v New Zealand, Dharamsala, 4pm AEDT

November 4: v England, Ahmedabad (D/N), 7.30pm AEDT

November 7: v Afghanistan, Mumbai (D/N), 7.30pm AEDT

November 11: v Bangladesh, Pune, 4pm AEDT

November 15: First semi-final, Mumbai (D/N), 7.30pm AEDT

November 16: Second semi-final, Kolkata (D/N), 7.30pm AEDT

November 19: Final, Ahmedabad (D/N), 7.30pm AEDT

Australia squad: Pat Cummins (c), Sean Abbott, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, David Warner, Adam Zampa