Marnus Labuschagne: The Concussion Sub Who Became Australia's No. 1 Batter
Marnus Labuschagne (Australia) became the first-ever concussion substitute in cricket — replacing Steve Smith during the 2019 Ashes at Lord's after Smith was hit on the neck by a Jofra Archer bouncer. Labuschagne then scored 80 and 59 in his debut Ashes match. He finished 2020 as the No. 1 ICC Test batsman in the world and averaged above 63 in his first three Test years — the highest debut average since Don Bradman for a batter with 1,500+ runs.
Marnus Labuschagne was born in Klerksdorp, South Africa, and moved to Australia aged 9. He made his Test debut in 2018 vs Pakistan. His career was transformed in August 2019 at Lord's when he became cricket's first concussion substitute — replacing Steve Smith (who had been hit by Jofra Archer's short ball) mid-match. The ICC had introduced concussion substitutions just before the 2019 Ashes.
The Concussion Sub
On 14 August 2019, at Lord's, Steve Smith was struck on the neck by a 148 km/h bouncer from Jofra Archer and was diagnosed with a concussion. Under the new ICC concussion substitute rules (a like-for-like replacement allowed when a player suffers a concussion during play), Labuschagne — also a right-handed batter — came in as Smith's replacement. He scored 80 and 59 in the two innings. Australia drew the Test. Labuschagne's entrance into the 2019 Ashes permanently changed his career trajectory.
Rise to No. 1
From 2019 to 2021, Labuschagne scored 2,000+ Test runs in each calendar year — the first Australian to do so since Ricky Ponting (2003). He reached the ICC No. 1 Test ranking in early 2020 at age 25 — the youngest Australian to reach No. 1 since Bradman. His average of 63.71 for his first 1,500 Test runs was the highest debut average for any batsman with that qualification since Bradman (who averaged 94 in his first 1,500 Test runs). His technique — particularly his back-foot play against short bowling — has been compared to Steve Smith, though his footwork pattern is entirely different.
Frequently asked questions
What is the concussion substitute rule in cricket, how was it introduced, and what is the 'like-for-like' requirement?
Concussion substitute rule in cricket: explanation and the like-for-like requirement. The ICC introduced the concussion substitute rule in July 2019 — the first major change to cricket's player replacement rules since the law on a runner for an injured batsman was abolished in 2011. How it works: if a player suffers a concussion during a match, they can be replaced by a concussion substitute — a player from the squad who was not in the original playing XI. The replacement must occur at the next natural break in play (end of an over or change of innings). The 'like-for-like' requirement: the replacement player must be 'like-for-like' in terms of their cricket role. A batter replaced by a batter (which Labuschagne was for Smith — both right-handed middle-order batters). A bowler replaced by a bowler. An all-rounder can potentially be replaced by an all-rounder, but the match referee must approve the substitution. This prevents a team gaining an advantage: if a batting all-rounder suffers a concussion, the team cannot replace them with a specialist fast bowler. The approval process: the team medical staff must confirm the diagnosis (a concussion assessment tool, SCAT5, is used). The match referee reviews the 'like-for-like' determination and approves or rejects the substitution request. The controversy in 2019: some critics argued the concussion substitute rule creates an incentive for teams to deliberately target opponents with bouncers to trigger the rule — giving the batting team a fresh replacement player. The Labuschagne case demonstrated the potential: Labuschagne (relatively untested) replaced Smith (the best batsman in the world at the time) and contributed meaningfully. Whether this constitutes an 'unfair advantage' remains debated. The ICC has maintained the rule as a player safety measure that outweighs tactical concerns.