Marnus Labuschagne has received clear backing from Australian coach Andrew McDonald, for now, as pressure intensifies on the former world No.1 batter in the wake of the disastrous opening Test loss to India.

Despite the 295-run thumping in Perth, McDonald said the squad would not change for the second Test in Adelaide beginning next Friday although the fitness of all-rounder Mitch Marsh remains a “wait and see” proposition.

Josh Inglis will remain with the squad as a potential replacement batter but something would need to shift dramatically for him to replace Labuschagne despite two ugly dismissals in Perth and a long run of poor returns.

Labuschagne is averaging just 13.66 across his last five Tests, a figure flattered by the 90 he made in Christchurch in March.

He took 52 balls to make just two in the opening innings and backed that up with only three in the second in Perth, caught LBW in horror fashion after leaving a ball which was cannoning in to the stumps.

Despite the lack of runs, McDonald said Labuschagne, who has scored three Test centuries in Adelaide, was the “player that we need” should he find his best again, which would be the aim between now and the December 6 start,

“We look at the way he plays, and when he’s at his best,” McDonald said.

“And when we’ve seen him at his best he’s shown great intent at the crease.

“That’s an ongoing discussion and that ebbs and flows in players’ careers, so at the moment he’s in one of those patches and no doubt he’ll be getting critiqued externally.

“But internally we’re really confident that, at his best, he’s the player that we need.”

McDonald conceded that Marsh had gone into the opening Test “underdone” despite being needed to shoulder the extra bowling load in the absence of injured Cameron Green but said it wasn’t a “weakness” as India piled on a massive 6-487 in the second innings.

“We knew that Mitch was slightly underdone coming in but I thought the performance in the first innings was satisfactory,” he said.

Critics called out the preparation of the Australian’s for the opening encounter, with many rested from Sheffield Shield games and captain Pat Cummins playing just two ODI matches between July and the Test.

But rather than call on the players to do more work between now and the second Test, which will be a pink-ball Test, McDonald said arrival in to Adelaide one day earlier than planned would suffice.

“With this game finishing a day early we’ll go to Adelaide a day earlier, get into our prep there,” McDonald said.

“Obviously shifting into pink ball which will create different challenges in the way we go about it, so we’ll invest in that extra day.”