Is Marnus Labuschagne finally out of luck?

Marnus Labuschagne, who once stood out as the luckiest batter in Test cricket for a span of 23 Tests, now seems to have reached a slump. In his early career, Labuschagne enjoyed numerous genuine chances dropped or missed by opposition teams, resulting in significant scores. However, recent times have been much less favorable. Since his last century in the 2023 Ashes Test at Old Trafford, Labuschagne hasn't scored a century, and he's been left out of both the Test and ODI squads traveling to Zimbabwe and South Africa.

The ODI squad inclusion depends on the Australian selectors, who state that Labuschagne didn't have a place in their current structure. Labuschagne's career can be divided into two parts: before and after his last century. During the period before his last Test ton, he was given 12 chances every 1.92 innings, while in the period after, the chances dropped to one every 3 innings.

In his early Test career, Labuschagne's talent in turning missed opportunities into substantial scores stood out. His first Test century was scored against Pakistan in 2019 when he hit an impressive 185 off 279 balls. If he had been given a chance at the first opportunity in that period, his average would have dropped to 55.68. Labuschagne's recent form has not seen him capitalizing on the chances given to him, with only four reprieves in the last 23 Tests.