Mark Waugh picks number one Test batsman; it’s not Smith or Kohli!

The debate for the current number one Test batsman is far from getting over. Adding spice to this, former Australian batsman Mark Waugh has come up with a new addition on this list.

Showering praise on the latest Australian batting sensation, he has termed Marnus Labuschagne as the current ‘number one’ batsman in the world.

Mark Waugh: “He is probably the number one batsman in world cricket”

Waugh is definitely impressed by this new prodigy and has backed him to transform his Red-ball form into the White-ball as well.

“He is probably the number one batsman in world cricket, albeit in the Test format, but I think he can carry that on into the white-ball format as well. I think he has got to bat in the top four,” sydneymorningherald.com.au quoted Waugh as saying.

He believes, Marnus would be the perfect choice to bat no 4 in the upcoming ODI series against India which is slated to get underway from January 14th.

“You would imagine Finch and Warner would open, Steve Smith at three and Labuschagne at four. I think he is ideally suited at four because he can play spin well, he is a good sweeper of the ball,” he added.

Waugh believes Marnus can handle India’s spin threat

With the ODI series against India being Australia’s next assignment, Mark Waugh firmly believes Marnus Labuschagne is well equipped to tackle whatever is thrown at him.

“He is going to get tested out, obviously, by the spin of India, by the likes of Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal, Ravindra Jadeja, those sorts of guys. But a batsman in form going to India is exactly what you need. I think he will go really well,” Waugh said.

Marnus had a phenomenal home summer

Recently grabbing his career-best third rank in ICC Test rankings for the batsmen, he made his Test debut in the year 2018 against Pakistan, Marnus showed a glimpse of his prominence in his third game against Sri Lanka where he scored 81 in the first innings of the Test match.

Fourth time he's passed 100, and the third time he's passed 150 of those!

Labuschagne just keeps on going.#AUSvNZ pic.twitter.com/go2BSGega3

— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) January 4, 2020

However, his breakthrough season came later in the year 2019 when he mustered 787 runs from just 5 innings at a towering average of 157.4. His 5 innings included three centuries, a double ton and a half-century with 2015 being his highest score which came against New Zealand in the Sydney Test.