Marnus Labuschagne is focused on goals for Australia after being overlooked for the role of vice captain

Marnus Labuschagne is excited to see his time for an official leadership role on the Australian testing team as he focuses on playing with the bat in the upcoming Ashes series. Despite being touted as a possible contender for vice-captaincy of Australia, Labuschagne was not interviewed for an executive position after Tim Paine's reign ended last month.

As Pat Cummins rose from vice-captain to the new captain of Australia, former captain Steve Smith was named deputy Cummins, as the fast bowler wished. And that's a good thing for Labuschagne, who will focus on getting a mountain of runs when the Ashes series starts on Wednesday at the Gabba.

"I was not disappointed," said the Queensland Bulls' walking machine when it was overlooked for a leadership position. “There are two very good leaders and very good candidates and they are now the right people for the job. “My job right now is to focus on getting consistent runs for Australia. I am happy that this is my role now.

“The two guys will work really well together and you certainly don't need the title to keep leading the group. "I'll definitely do this part, but I definitely wasn't disappointed." When asked whether he had future ambitions to become Australia's vice-captain or captain, Labuschagne said he was "not looking too far ahead".

"For me, it's just focused on this series," he said. “The captain and vice-captain is something you don't look for. It is something that comes to you. "If it happens on the track I'll be grateful and if it doesn't, I'll be happy too, but hopefully I'll only get runs for Australia."

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Labuschagne, 27, already had 1885 test runs for Australia in just 18 tests with a brilliant average of 60.80. His fight with veteran English paceman Jimmy Anderson, who took 632 test wickets, most from any fast bowler, upset Labuschagne ahead of the first test.

“It's going to be a lot of fun. I really can't wait to take Jimmy up to this challenge, ”he said. “I've talked a lot about his quality as a player. You don't take that many wickets and you're England's all-time best without being of any quality. "It's going to be a really exciting challenge for the Ashes." Labushagne said it was time for the Australians to unite in their attempt to keep the ashes.

"Cricket is a team game from a cultural point of view, but we communicate and talk to each other without playing," he said. “Cricket is also an individual game. The batter must score runs individually and the bowlers must consistently get the ball into the correct areas.

"Everyone has prepared well wherever they have been, and now it's time for us to bring the banter back into the roster and get the band going again."