Former Australian batsman Ed Cowan has labelled the red-hot Marnus Labuschagne “the luckiest Test cricketer in history.”
During a man of the match performance in Australia’s crushing second Ashes Test win in Adelaide, some other eye-popping statistics emerged.
“Marnus has been dropped 14 times in Test cricket,” Cowan told The ABC Grandstand podcast.
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“He has only played 20 Tests. He has only been caught 12 times.
“He is the luckiest Test batsman there is in history so far statistically.
“Obviously he gets the runs. But he has been caught 12 times and dropped 14 times, which is just insane.
“And you make your own luck, sure, but my word that is basically getting an extra hit every Test match.”
Cowan stressed that he was not seeking to diminish Labuschagne’s obvious talent by drawing attention to the dropped catch stats.
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“He is a tough bugger. He batted superbly this Test. He knows his game,” Cowan said.
“He knows how to adapt in different conditions. He has got a strong technique. He has got a strong mind.
“So maybe by 10 or 15 per cent (his reputation has been inflated by the drops), but not by a huge amount.”
Labuschagne is second in the ICC Test batting rankings, behind English captain Joe Root and one spot ahead of Steve Smith.
His average of 62.14 ranks him statistically as the best Test batsman since Donald Bradman.
Cowan also unloaded on England, calling them the worst team to tour Australia in the last 20 years.
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