West Indies vs Australia: Marnus Labuschagne dropped; Steve Smith to miss first Test; Sam Konstas set to open

On Friday, June 20, the Cricket Australia Chief Selector George Bailey has stated that Marnus Labuschagne, who has been out of form of late, has been axed from the Test squad for the West Indies, scheduled to start on June 25, at the Kensington Oval, Bridgetown in Barbados.

Furthermore, Bailey confirmed that Steve Smith is set to miss the first Test of the three-match Test series after the No.4 batter sustained a finger injury during the WTC 2025 Final at Lord’s against South Africa. However, he is expected to be available for the second Test.

Moving further, the chief selector also confirmed that Josh Inglis and Sam Konstas are expected to come into the XI for the first Test to replace Labushagne and Smith. Notably, Konstas had an impressive BGT 2024-25 season against India.

Furthermore, the Cricket Australia statement added that the Australian batting order and the final playing XI will be declared hours before the first Test.

“Steve needs more time for the wound to heal so we’ll give him another week’s rest and assess his functionality after that. We have made the decision to give Josh and Sam the opportunity to replace Steve and Marnus. We are excited to see them get the chance to further their fledgling Test careers,” Bailey told the media.

“In his only opportunity in Test cricket to date, Josh was outstanding in Sri Lanka, showing great intent and ability to put pressure on the opposition. Marnus at his best can be a really important member of this team. He understands his output hasn’t been at the level we, or he, expects,” he added.

“We will continue working with him on the areas of his game we feel he needs to rediscover. We continue to value his skill and expect him to work through the challenge positively,” he concluded.

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