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Australia's concussion-blighted Pucovski retires from cricket at 27

8 Apr 25

Marnus Labuschagne spent his first ten years of life in South Africa, but Australia's most in-form batter expects few favors when he faces his home country for the first time in Test cricket this week.

Labuschagne enters his home Test in Brisbane, where he has lived since his Afrikaans-speaking family emigrated to Queensland when he was 10 years old, in command, having bowled West Indies out for 502 runs in the first two NRMA Insurance Tests of the summer.

The Proteas will give him a much tougher test in what the 28-year-old admits will be a special moment when he faces the team he could easily have played for had things gone differently.

Labuschagne still has many relatives in South Africa; around 50 of them were on hand to witness his maiden one-day international century in 2020 in Potchefstroom, less than hour from his birthplace of Klerksdorp.

"Jacques Kallis, Shaun Pollock, Greame Smith, AB de Villiers – as a young kid growing up in South Africa, you look up to these guys," the Queenslander told reporters on Wednesday.

"Then coming to Australia, and really diving into the Australian culture, looking up to the likes of Ricky Ponting, Damien Martyn, Michael Hussey Michael Clarke – I remember getting a V900 (bat) because Michael Clarke had a V900.

"As your career evolves you just grow and grow to liking to different players, it doesn't matter the country."

While Labuschagne is prepared to cop the odd sledge in Afrikaans, he insists there will be no split allegiances when his parents, wife and recently-born daughter watch on at the Gabba this week.

"My family have adopted Australia as their home and they support me, they support the Australian cricket team," he said.