Marnus Labuschagne praised for making 'big statement' as Ashes call looms

Labuschagne is all-but certain of place in the Ashes squad after starting the domestic season with four centuries in five innings, including two in first-class matches.

Although his inclusion still needs to confirmed by the selectors, Smith revealed Labuschagne told him before the season that he would be back in the Test side.

"I sent him a message a couple of days ago saying how proud I was of him," Smith said. "He's just gone back and he's got his fourth hundred in five hits.

"It's a pretty big statement. He said to me at the start of the summer, he goes, 'I'll be in that Test team come the first [Ashes] Test'. He's backed up his words, probably.

"He's obviously not selected yet, (but) he's done a lot of things right."

Labuschagne has previously spoken about getting "too deep" into his technique and "trying to be too perfect" as looked to get his way back into the Australia team after being dropped.

"We've all been there [dropped] at some point in our careers and it's difficult to hear it," Smith said. "But I think he knew he probably wasn't batting as well as he had been over probably four years ago when he was scoring a mountain of runs.

"I think my advice to him was 'stop thinking so technically, just go and play the game; watch the ball and react'.

"I think he's been doing that really beautifully and he's played so nicely." 

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