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Match 2 | Bangladesh vs Australia | Shere Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur | 11 June 2026
Australia go into June 11 one down in the series, with their No. 3 averaging 12.46 across his last 13 ODI innings and no fifty in over a year. The Bangladesh pace attack already has a blueprint. The selectors have alternatives sitting in the same XI. The question is whether Josh Inglis acts on the evidence or persists with his reputation.
Across his last 13 ODI innings from September 2024 through June 2026, Labuschagne has made 162 runs at 12.46. Six of those innings were single-digit scores. He passed 20 only twice, with 47 and 29, and has not posted a fifty since the 2024 England series. His career average of 33.26 from 70 matches is a different number entirely, but selectors deal in current form. For a No. 3 whose function is to consolidate and build, 14 consecutive innings without a fifty is a problem the statistics alone justify addressing.
Australia was chasing 285 on June 9 when Short was bowled off the first ball. Labuschagne walked in at No. 3 and lasted 7 balls, lbw to Mustafizur Rahman for 1. Australia were 2 for 2 inside two overs. The Pakistan series followed the same pattern: bowled by Arafat Minhas for 5 in the 2nd ODI, run out for 19 in the 3rd. Nahid Rana was consistently above 145 kph, and Mustafizur is one of the craftiest left-arm cutters in the format. Against that combination on a seaming surface, Labuschagne at No. 3 is a weakness Bangladesh already knows how to exploit.
The case for change is not just about form; it is about alternatives already in the XI. Renshaw batted at No. 6 in the first match but averages 43.00 across six ODI innings with a highest of 61. His Australia A campaign produced 80, 106, and 62 against Sri Lanka A. Connolly made 40 from 34 balls at No. 4 and added left-arm orthodox spin, real value on Bangladesh’s surfaces. Renshaw at three and Connolly at four give Australia more options than Labuschagne at three currently does.
| Batter | Last 10 ODI Innings | Average | Role | In 1st ODI XI? |
| Marnus Labuschagne | 1, 19, 5, 0, 0, 1, 1, 29, 47, 15 | 12.46* | No. 3 | Yes |
| Matt Renshaw | 61, 56, 43, 7 (v BAN) | 43.00 | No. 3 / Middle-order | Yes (No. 6) |
| Cooper Connolly | 40 (v BAN), 61, 0, 23, 0 | 31.33 | Allrounder / Middle-order | Yes (No. 4) |
*Labuschagne’s average over the last 13 ODI innings (Sep 2024 to Jun 2026). Renshaw’s average across all career innings. Connolly’s innings from ODI debut vs England 2024 through BAN 2026.
Renshaw’s ODI record is small but clean: six innings, average 43.00, highest 61, backed by consistent List A hundreds for Queensland. He is 30, compact, and built for the top of a chase. Connolly’s 40 from 34 balls was Australia’s most composed batting in the 1st ODI, and his left-arm spin gives Inglis an additional bowling option on surfaces where Bangladesh target the sweep. Connolly at 31.33 from 9 matches is not a gamble; he contributed with bat and ball in the same game and came out ahead on both counts.
Australia is 1-0 down. A second straight loss makes this tour a failure. Bangladesh showed on June 9 that they have a clear plan for Labuschagne: full, in-swinging deliveries from the left-arm angle, the same type of bowling that has dismissed him repeatedly since September 2024. Renshaw at No. 3 is the most natural alternative, and one game later, that case is stronger. The Australia 2nd ODI Bangladesh Labuschagne selection decision comes down to whether Inglis backs evidence or reputation, with a series still live and a batter averaging sub-13 in his last 13 innings pencilled in to face the same bowlers again.
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Why is Marnus Labuschagne out of form in ODIs?
Labuschagne has averaged 12.46 across his last 13 ODI innings since September 2024, with six single-digit scores and no fifty since the 2024 England series. His technique against full-length left-arm deliveries has been repeatedly exposed, and he has not converted a start into a substantial innings in over a year.
Who is Australia’s No. 3 batter for the Bangladesh ODI series?
Marnus Labuschagne was selected at No. 3 for the Bangladesh ODI series but made just 1 in the opener on June 9. His place is under scrutiny ahead of the 2nd ODI on June 11, with Matt Renshaw the most likely alternative.
What is Marnus Labuschagne’s ODI batting average in 2026?
Labuschagne has averaged 12.46 across his last 13 ODI innings from September 2024 through June 2026. His career ODI average is 33.26 from 70 matches, but the recent sample reflects a sharp decline.
Who is Matt Renshaw in cricket?
Matt Renshaw is a 30-year-old left-handed Australian batter from Queensland who made his ODI debut in October 2025 against India. He averages 43.00 across six ODI innings with a highest of 61 and is Australia’s most natural alternative at No. 3.
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