IND vs AUS 2023: It’s going to be a lovely game of chess – Marnus Labuschagne can’t wait for the battle against Ravichandran Ashwin

Australia’s talisman batter Marnus Labuschagne is eagerly waiting to face Ravichandran Ashwin in the upcoming four-match Border-Gavaskar series. Ashwin has always been a force to reckon with in the Indian conditions whereas the in-form Labuschagne is going to hold the key for the visitors.

This will be the first tour of India for Labuschagne and he would look to be at his best. The right-hander recently scored 170 runs in three Test matches against Pakistan at an average of 34 and would want to use his subcontinent experience.

Meanwhile, Ashwin dismissed Labuschagne in Adelaide and Melbourne when India toured Australia in 2020-21.

“Since then [the last series] I’ve already started thinking,” Labuschagne said. “I’ve changed some of my game because of what I’ve heard about Ashwin and how he bowled to me. I’ve adapted my game to try and foil a few of his ideas and ways he goes about it, so it’s going to be a lovely game of chess and I can’t wait for it.”

The right-hander had begun his preparation for playing spin by sticking various aluminium strips on a mat and playing against a ball with one side taped up.

“The preparation starts so far back,” Labuschagne said. “People think, right now it’s Big Bash then you start thinking – but the thinking happens way ahead. You start processing everything in your mind, you go through every scenario of what bowler you are going to come across. I’ve already thought about my plans, so now it’s just about executing. Finding out, ‘That works, that doesn’t work. How can that part of my game fit in?’, and just piece the puzzle together and make sure the puzzle is ready when it’s game time. That’s the key, and that’s how all preparation happens.”

The number one Test batter feels the experience of Steve Smith will also be handy in the difficult Indian conditions.

“We’re always talking about that game and what’s to come and how we’re going to go about it,” Labuschagne said. “Think the important part is that once we get there, we’ve already gone through all the scenarios and that’s where his experience and a lot of the other guy’s experience will become very helpful.

Australia has been in good form in their own conditions but it is going to be a different ball game altogether when they will face India in difficult conditions. The first Test match will be played at Nagpur on February 9.