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AAP
AAP
Steve Larkin

Labuschagne to attack his way out of slump: Cummins

Pat Cummins (left) and Marnus Labuschagne in the Adelaide Oval nets ahead of the second Test. (Dave Hunt/AAP PHOTOS)

Struggling Australian batter Marnus Labuschagne will aggressively fight his way out of his form funk, his captain Pat Cummins says.

But Cummins concedes the out-of-sorts first-drop faces a challenge to transfer his attacking intent from the nets to centre stage at Adelaide Oval.

Labuschagne enters the second Test against India starting on Friday in Adelaide in the midst of his leanest lengthy patch at the crease.

His failures in Australia's 295-run loss to India in the series opener - scores of two from 52 balls and three from five deliveries - heightened concern about his form.

"He's training well, like he always does, hitting millions of balls," Cummins told reporters in Adelaide on Thursday.

"It's pretty impossible to kind of dismiss or ignore some of the commentary around perhaps being a little bit more proactive.

"So I think you've seen that (more aggressive) side of him in the nets.

"The challenge is always going out there and making sure you keep that mindset.

"But he's been great, like he always is. (He's) always working on things, trying to plan how he's going to score his hundred this Test."

Labuschagne played his initial two Tests in 2018 and averaged 20.25.

He then excelled to boost his career average to more than 61.

Labuschagne's average now sits at 48.45 as he struggles this calendar year - from 12 Test innings, he's averaging 24.50, without a century.

The right-hander will be under intense scrutiny in the day-night Test at Adelaide Oval, a venue where he has achieved great success - he's scored three tons and a half-century and averages 71.75 at the ground. 

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