Greg Chappell Says Labuschagne Needs a Break to Reset Mind and Technique

Chappell diagnoses a psychological slump he calls Elite Players Decline Syndrome and urges a short time away from Tests followed by a staged return through Sheffield Shield cricket.

Overview

Former Australia captain Greg Chappell set out his prescription in an ESPNcricinfo column, saying Marnus Labuschagne needs a deliberate mental 'circuit breaker' and time away from Test cricket to rebuild confidence.
Chappell frames the problem as a loss of trust in subconscious decision‑making, a condition he labels Elite Players Decline Syndrome that forces players into conscious overthinking and harms performance.
The column notes a clear statistical slide since Labuschagne's last Test century in July 2023: 49 innings without a hundred, 1,094 runs at an average of 24.31, and a pattern of getting starts but failing to convert them.
Chappell links the slump to visible technical change, describing Labuschagne's footwork as 'crab‑like' and 'flat‑footed', which leaves him late to the ball and with fewer deliveries he can attack.
Chappell invokes examples and experience, including discussions with Sachin Tendulkar, and says his public call for a short break then Sheffield Shield matches could influence selectors who have so far continued to back Labuschagne.