"Absolutely not" - Pat Cummins asserts Marnus Labuschagne's spot in Australia's Test XI is under no threat despite glaring slump 

Australia skipper Pat Cummins came to Marnus Labuschagne's defense in a spirited manner following the conclusion of the first Test against New Zealand in Wellington on Sunday, March 3. The Aussies emerged victorious by 172 runs following a dominant all-round display.

The only major drawbacks for Australia from the series opener were Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne's returns in the top order, with the latter arguably being more concerning of the two.

Labuschage, who reigned supreme at the top of the ICC rankings not so long ago, has struggled with the bat of late. The right-handed batter scored 1 and 2 in the first Test against New Zealand, while he was not among the runs in the recent home series against the West Indies either. Labuschage scored only 19 runs across four innings and is currently on a streak of five innings without a double-figure score to his name.

Pat Cummins was asked whether the team is considering dropping Marnus Labuschagne from the playing XI, due to his poor form.

“Absolutely not. He’d be the first to admit he’d like to score some more runs, and it’s not through lack of trying in the nets. Particularly in the second innings, it was just one of those ones down leg. We’re very clear that these six guys are the best six batters in Australia. Although at times it might not have clicked all at once, the story of our team has been someone’s been able to stand up when they need to. Everyone’s going well," Cummins said during the post-match press conference.

Labuschagne has only scored one ton in his last 37 Test innings, which came during the fourth Test against England at Old Trafford in 2023. His Test average has dropped from 57.60 to 49.60, a steep decline since the World Test Championship (WTC) final against India last year.

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"I already told him today, the day he retires, I’m definitely giving up the captaincy" - Pat Cummins on Nathan Lyon

Veteran spinner Nathan Lyon ran through New Zealand's batting line-up to end with figures of 6-65 in the final innings, thereby accounting for a memorable 10-wicket haul for the Test as well.

It was quite a rare feat considering the dominance of pacers in New Zealand conditions. Furthermore, the fact that Lyon's 10-wicket match haul is the first of its kind by a spinner since 2006 speaks volumes.

Cummins hailed Lyon and the 36-year-old's decision to keep going until 2027 as it makes his job easier as captain.

"It’s the captain’s dream. There’s a real sense of calm out there when you know you’ve got someone that good on a wicket that’s giving him a little bit of help. It’s fun really. You can get creative with some of the field placements, knowing he’s going to land it exactly where you want it to. I thought he was brilliant over the last couple of days, bouncing through a few different plans, but it just always felt like he was in control," Cummins said.

“It’s huge, I’d love for him to keep going until 2027. The only barrier is his body. If he looks after his body and makes sure he’s right for ten Test matches a year, I would absolutely love for him to keep playing until 2027, and I don’t think there’s much getting in his way. I already told him today, the day he retires, I’m definitely giving up the captaincy, because it makes my life a hell of a lot easier," Cummins added.

The second Test between Australia and New Zealand is scheduled to begin at the Hagley Oval in Christchurch on Friday, March 8.