There are no mixed loyalties for South African Australian Test star Marnus Labuschagne ahead of a first Test clash against his country of birth, although he hopes the tourists could throw themselves some “curve balls ” in the sled department.
Labuschagne has become the world’s No.1 Test batsman in the four years since his UAE debut in 2018, and comes into the clash with the Proteas on the back of a Player of the the Series against the West Indies in which he belted. 502 races.
He has never played a Test against South Africa but has played three ODIs against them and scored a fairytale century in Potchefstroom in 2020.
The 28-year-old, who moved to Australia when he was 10 and speaks only Afrikaans, admitted that this series was “a little closer to my heart” but he wouldn’t let his foot off the pedal after making three blows hundreds, including a double, in four innings against the Windies.
“My family have adopted Australia as their home and they support me, they support the Australian cricket team,” Labuschagne said ahead of the first Test in Brisbane, which starts on Saturday.
“But I definitely think it’s always exciting what this test offers because it’s a little bit closer to my heart because it’s the country where I grew up and where I spent 10 years of my life.”
Australia and South Africa meet for the first time since the infamous ball-tampering saga, but Labuschagne is adamant the drama has been “buried”.
Asked if he thought “sandpapergate” would come up in the conversation, he said: “No, I don’t really.
“I think we buried it and it’s a thing of the past.
“Going forward, I don’t think either team will go deep in that part.
“But like I said, I can only speak from what I think and what our side is thinking.”
Labuschagne is also playing dad for the first time after he and his wife, Rebekah, welcomed their first child in September.
His daughter Hallie traveled to Perth and was introduced to her teammates in the dressing room during the first Test against the Windies.
Labuschagne said being a father had helped him “disconnect” from his cricket obsession, but it wouldn’t end it.
“When my family is with me, definitely the two differences between when they were with me in Perth and when they weren’t with me in Adelaide,” he said.
“I’ve been going to bed a lot later in Adelaide and I was watching a lot more cricket videos at night. In Perth it wasn’t like that, I was going to bed earlier, putting her (Hallie) to bed.
“I am who I am because I am obsessed and obsessive, I love trying to improve each and every day.
“I think that part, I hope it never stops because I think that’s what makes me who I am.”
His South African background is also an inescapable part of who he is and that was not lost on South African captain Dean Elgar.
“He’s one of the in-form batsmen in the world and I’m sure there will be a bit more spice knowing he’s also an ex-South African,” Elgar said.
The Proteas skipper also recalled Labuschagne trying to unnerve him in a county match in England by speaking Afrikaans and suggested it could be a ploy they used during the series.
But Labuschagne is ready for anything thrown his way
“I have no doubt they will throw curveballs,” he said.
“Hopefully the answers can be funny or not at all.”