Former Australian batter Michael Hussey has backed Marnus Labuschagne amid growing calls for changes to the national Test side following their disappointing performance against South Africa in Gqeberha. Australia endured a disastrous fourth day, getting bowled out for just 99 in their first innings before being forced to follow on for only the third time since 1988.

Australia ended the day at 156/4 in their second innings but continued to trail South Africa by 170 runs, leaving themselves on the verge of a damaging defeat. The team's struggles have intensified the debate surrounding the future of several players, with Nic Maddinson, Labuschagne and Beau Webster facing scrutiny over their recent performances.

Labuschagne, in particular, has come under fire after failing to convert his starts into substantial scores. His dismissal for 39 while attempting to attack spinner Simon Harmer late on the fourth day prompted commentator Gerard Whateley to call for his immediate exclusion from the side.

Speaking on SEN, Whateley said he “has to be dropped now. Just as a matter of principle”.

However, Hussey believes Labuschagne has shown signs of improvement despite his continued inability to score big runs. The former Australia batter pointed out that the right-hander has regularly managed to get himself in during the ongoing series but has struggled to capitalise on those starts.

“I feel like he’s looking quite good throughout the whole series,” Hussey told Fox Sports.

“He’s got a start in pretty much every innings, he’s got himself to 30s, and that’s the most disappointing thing. That’s the heartbeat – getting in, getting set. The thing that will be really hurting him the most is he’s got himself in, but hasn’t been able to go on with it and get that big score that everyone is hoping for.”

Labuschagne is yet to register a half-century in four innings during the series, extending his drought to 14 consecutive innings without a score of 50 or more. His wait for a Test century has also stretched to three years.

The 31-year-old showed promise in the opening Test in Durban, scoring 37 in both innings. However, he failed to build on either start and repeated the pattern in the second innings at St George’s Park.

Hussey, who experienced a difficult phase during his own international career, believes Labuschagne's improved starts are an encouraging sign. The former batter, who made his Test debut at the age of 30 in 2005, understands the pressure that comes with a prolonged lean patch and the scrutiny surrounding a player's place in the team.

“I think the criticism’s been fair in the past that he (Labuschagne) hasn’t really looked good in his first 20, 30, 40 balls. He’s not been able to score, he’s just been sort of hanging in there and surviving. But now he’s actually looking quite good to start his innings. He’s getting going. He’s looking to score again. He’s putting the bad ball away, still defending well," he added.

Labuschagne's dismissal was particularly frustrating for Australia, as he had survived an LBW appeal off Harmer through the Decision Review System (DRS) just minutes before losing his wicket while attempting to take on the spinner.

Michael Hussey cautions against making wholesale changes to Australia's Test team

Hussey also expressed reservations about calls for Australia to overhaul their Test team following their recent struggles. The team did not feature a single player under the age of 30 in the first Test in Durban, a first in the country's Test history, and retained the same XI for the second match at St George's Park.

With several senior players under pressure, there have been growing suggestions that Australia should introduce younger talent and begin planning for the future. However, Hussey believes selection decisions should be based on merit rather than age alone.

“It’s all good and well saying get rid of the 30-plus guys, but who are you going to bring in?” he questioned.

“I’ve always been a believer that you don’t just blood someone in Test match cricket – they need to have earned that spot.

“If you’re putting someone in there to see if he’s good enough, then I think that’s the wrong reason to be picking someone for to wear that baggy green cap. You need to be picking someone because you know he can help Australia win Test matches as soon as he gets there," he concluded.