Labuschagne was dropped from Australia\u2019s Test side for the first time in six years, with Cameron Green replacing him in Australia\u2019s XI at No. 3, and was seen carrying drinks during the recent match against the West Indies in the Caribbean.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Smith revealed the conversation he had with Labuschagne and lauded the latter\u2019s resilience and positive attitude to do well.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cHe said to me at the start of the summer, \u2018I\u2019ll be in that Test team come the first (Ashes) Test.\u2019 He\u2019s backed up his words, probably. I sent him a message a couple of days ago saying how proud I was of him. He\u2019s obviously got dropped from the team. He\u2019s gone back and he\u2019s got four hundreds in five hits. It\u2019s a pretty big statement. He\u2019s obviously not selected yet, but he\u2019s done a lot of things right,\u201d Smith told reporters on Tuesday, as quoted by Fox Sports.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Even after being dropped, Labuschagne proved his worth by putting up impressive and consistent performances in domestic cricket, thereby stamping his authority in the format and making a strong case for selection ahead of the all-important Ashes Tests.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cIt\u2019s always tough when you get dropped. We\u2019ve all been there at some point in our careers. I think he knew he probably wasn\u2019t batting as well as he had been four years ago, when he was scoring a mountain of runs. My advice to him was to stop thinking so technically. Just go and play the game, watch the ball and react,\u201d Smith added.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Even after being dropped, Labuschagne proved his worth by putting up impressive and consistent performances in domestic cricket, thereby stamping his authority in the format and making a strong case for selection ahead of the all-important Ashes Tests.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cI think he\u2019s been doing that really beautifully and he\u2019s played so nicely. He can open, as we saw in the Test Championship Final, he can bat three, he\u2019s versatile. (Opening) is not too different to batting three, to be honest. It\u2019s essentially the same thing. I don\u2019t think he needs to change anything if that\u2019s the case. Just play the game, play how he has been.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n