Marco Jansen has dismissed Marnus Labuschagne three times in six Tests.

Image: AFP

Marnus Labuschagne could pay the price for Australia’s humbling defeat in Gqeberha, with the under-fire batter potentially facing the axe for this week’s series decider at Newlands.

His second-innings shot selection at St George’s Park left much to be desired, while a run of 14 innings without a half-century has intensified the scrutiny.

Yet dropping Labuschagne would deprive the series of one of its most entertaining subplots. His on-field theatrics have been pure box office, particularly during his exchanges with Proteas all-rounder Marco Jansen.

In a series that has lacked the needle of previous encounters between the sides, their animated confrontations have provided welcome spice.

Jansen, who has dismissed Labuschagne three times in six Test matches, including in both innings of last year's WTC Final, claimed their verbal sparring was “just boys having fun in PE”.

But Proteas wicketkeeper-batter Ryan Rickelton, however, believes the towering all-rounder relishes the contest, particularly against Klerksdorp-born Labuschagne, who shares his South African roots and speaks Afrikaans.

“They’ve had a good contest in the past, Jansen and Labuschagne. Marnus is obviously Afrikaans, which is the highlight for [Jansen] — that they can chat in Afrikaans to each other,” Rickelton said.

But there is more to the contest than shared language. Jansen also understands the value of dismissing Australia’s No 3 early.

“With Marco’s aggression, he doesn’t shy away. He knows what an important cog Marnus has been in the Australian team. We also know the value of getting him out early, because he is still a seriously good player. Marco will be fired up for that and looking to put him under pressure,” Rickelton said.

Jansen’s combative streak, Rickelton added, is amplified by the presence of Kagiso Rabada, whose intensity and influence can bring the rest of the attack into the contest.

“If I look at the first two games, maybe Marco felt the burden of leading the attack,” Rickelton said.

“Obviously, he’s quite a confrontational character on the field as well. With KG, who really gets the ball rolling in that area, it makes it easy for other guys to jump on.

“That’s what KG brings, in all honesty. He has a massive presence in the changing room, he has a massive presence on the field, and I think that allows Marco to express himself a little bit more as well.”

The exchanges have added an extra edge to the series, but Newlands carries its own history when it comes to players crossing the line.

Australia return to the ground for the first time in eight years since the ball-tampering scandal that became known as Sandpapergate — one of the darkest episodes in the country’s cricket history.

That controversy was part of a wider series marked by flashpoints, from David Warner’s stairwell incident at Kingsmead to Rabada brushing shoulders with Steve Smith at St George’s Park.

Rickelton, however, was quick to distinguish the Proteas’ heightened aggression in Gqeberha from the scenes that engulfed the game in 2018. He described Rabada’s approach as competitive rather than excessive, with Jansen and the rest of the team responding to his energy.

“It’s never anything too aggressive, it’s just pure competitiveness from Rabada. Jansen then gets up for it as well, and the boys kind of get going,” Rickelton said.

He also explained that the Proteas’ greater on-field presence in Gqeberha stemmed from a collective determination to respond after falling behind in the series.

“It wasn’t really a massive conversation. It was saying, listen, we’re 1-0 down, we’ve got a good record here, we’ve got a good team on the field. Let’s show presence in what we’re trying to do, let’s let them feel our presence, who we are, and we’re not here to fall over.

“KG led that, Temba led that quietly in his own way with the bat, and then KG took the ball and ran with it.”