Ashes 2023: Marnus Labuschagne warns England of bossman Steve Smith repeating 2019 heroics

Ranked number one Test batter in the world, Australia's Marnus Labuschagne has warned England of Steve Smith donning the 2019 hat - wherein he single-handedly punished the home side by scoring 774 runs from seven innings in the draw Ashes.

Ahead of the upcoming winter Ashes that begins with the first Test in Edgbaston on June 16th, Marnus revealed Smith's change in technique could be a nightmare for the hosts.

Playing for Glamorgan in the County Championship, Marnus is preparing for the Ashes 2023. While he is sure of his credentials heading into the mega event, Marnus feels Smith would again be the backbone of the travelling side.

Speaking withThe Sydney Morning Herald, Marnus said the way Smith batted against West Indies and South Africa in the summer gone by and how he batted against England in 2019, there is a vast difference as he has tweaked his technique a bit.

"If you look at how he batted this summer against the West Indies and South Africa, compared to how he batted in the Ashes in 2019, they're two polar opposite methods of batting," Marnus said, as quoted in AFP.

"He has that freakish ability that he can find ways to have success regardless of how he plays," Labuschagne added.

Since the home summer where Smith shone with bat, he was surprisingly successful in the Big Bash - where he scored 346 from five matches, including two centuries. According to Marnus, this all happened because of a small change Smith did to his stance, changing it from being 'really open' to 'a lot more side on'.

"You can see why his Twenty20 game has gone through the roof with some of those technical changes. It's certainly helped him with his power and his swing. He took the mickey this summer in the white-ball stuff," he added.

"It just shows he can bat both those ways and have ample success. And knowing Steve he's made sure he works out what he feels is the best method to score runs here in England."

It's fair to say the former Test captain Smith loves playing in England, a country where he averages nearly 60 in 16 Tests.

Representing Sussex in the ongoing County, Smith was on 68* overnight against Marnus' Glamorgan.

Here is the Ashes schedule -

• First Test (Edgbaston) - June 16 - June 20
• Second Test (Lord's) - June 28 - July 2
• Third Test (Clean Slate Headingley) - July 6 - July 10
• Fourth Test (Emirates Old Trafford) - July 19 - July 23
• Fifth Test (The Kia Oval) - July 27 - July 31

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