Australia lock in Marnus Labuschagne's Test replacements [Source: AFP]The Australian selection committee decided to give Marnus Labuschagne another opportunity to prove his mettle by including him in the Australia Test squad vs South Africa despite his lean run against Bangladesh at home. However, the experienced batter is set to be kept on his toes, as the Australian think tank has shortlisted Marnus Labuschagne's replacement in the playing XI for the South Africa series. Australia recently drew the Test series against Bangladesh at home and will face defending WTC champions South Africa in a three-match series, starting on October 9. Ahead of the series, head coach Andrew McDonald has revealed two names that the tourists can consider replacing Labuschagne with, if the latter fails to deliver the goods in the Rainbow Nation. McDonald names Cooper Connolly and Josh Inglis as Labuschagne's potential replacementsAccording to Cricket Australia, head coach Andrew McDonald sees Cooper Connolly and Josh Inglis as potential candidates to bat at number three if Marnus Labuschagne doesn't live up to the expectations in South Africa. Cooper Connolly and Josh Inglis are included in the Australia ODI squad vs South Africa for the upcoming three-match series. The report from Cricket Australia states that these two cricketers can strengthen their respective cases to enter the Australian Test XI as Marnus Labuschagne's replacement by registering impactful scores in the ODI series. Also Read: Matt Short's One-Handed Stunner Ruins Marnus Labuschagne's 1st Innings After ODI SnubAlthough Connolly and Inglis are unfamiliar with top-order slots in red-ball cricket, McDonald believes they can adapt to the challenge and thrive at number three, if given a chance. The Australian head coach exemplified his point by citing the examples of Travis Head and Usman Khawaja, who excelled as top-order batters despite starting their careers in the middle order. "We're open minded to that, definitely," the coach told cricket.com.au. "Some of our best openers have gone from five to opening. Travis went from five to opening, and 'Uzzie' went from five to opening. I think it's all about timing and how prepared they are for that," McDonald said as quoted by Cricket.com.au. "'Coop' hasn't played a lot of first-class cricket, so his experiences are quite narrow. He's played a lot of white-ball cricket in recent times. Can that translate into being a top order option? Or is he better suited through the middle?," he added. "Josh Inglis has been the reserve batter for a long period of time, and people have debated whether he could have opened (when a vacancy arose in 2024-25). We think he's got the skillset to potentially bat anywhere in that order. So we feel as though we've got two good options," the Australian coach concluded. Josh Inglis and Cooper Connolly's red-ball records at a glanceJosh Inglis has played 65 First-Class matches, amassing 3344 runs, including eight hundreds and 12 fifties. In five Tests, Inglis has struck 184 runs at an average of 26.28. On the other hand, Cooper Connolly has featured in a solitary Test, scoring four runs in his only outing. Connolly has played 13 First-Class matches, showcasing his batting prowess by tallying 800 runs at an impressive average of 42.10. Interestingly, Josh Inglis has batted above number five only nine times across 107 innings, while Cooper Connolly has done it twice in 21 outings. Australia vs South Africa series: Marnus Labuschagne's ultimate TestTalking about Marnus Labuschagne, the veteran batter is desperately searching for runs, having accumulated only 856 runs at a mediocre average of 25.94 across 37 Test innings since January 2024. His last Test century dates back to July 2023, and several cricket pundits, including Steve Waugh, have issued him an ultimatum. Therefore, the Australia vs South Africa series could be Labuschagne's final opportunity to keep his place safe in the Test XI after losing his ODI spot right before the 2027 World Cup. Also Read: England vs Sri Lanka Head To Head Records- 1st ODI, Sri Lanka Tour of England, 2026
