Australia's Mitchell Starc, right, Mitchell Marsh, center, and Australia's captain Pat Cummins celebrates after the dismissal of India's Shubman Gill during play on day three of the third cricket test between India and Australia at the Gabba in Brisbane, Australia, Monday, Dec. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Pat Hoelscher)Australian all-rounder Mitchell Marsh has had a tough summer so far, with his 47 in Perth being the only notable performance at the Border Gavaskar Trophy. While there have been talks and calls for the all-rounder to be dropped from the upcoming final Test of the series, Australian head coach Andrew McDonald backs Marsh to perform well.
There have been speculations that Mitchell Marsh could potentially be nursing an injury, to which McDonald simply told Fox Cricket that the Allan Border Medalist is “in a good headspace”
“There’s no concern. And I think people have probably been reading too much into that. We haven’t required him with the ball as often as what we would have thought,” he said.
The injury speculations also rise from how much the all-rounder has been bowling this series. On the final day of the fourth Test in Melbourne, there were 76 overs bowled by the Australians, of which Marsh only bowled three.
“His speeds are up in the high 120s, so there are no injury concerns there. I think to sort of head that down that angle is a little bit unfair. We just haven’t required him at certain times for whatever reason. So that’s more a tactical implementation, as opposed to a body.
Marsh has only one score that has gone past the two digit mark, has picked up only three wickets going wicketless after the first Test, and has been wicketless since.
“Would he like better performances? There’s no doubt about that. Over four Test matches, he hasn’t been able to deliver at the level he would like and we would like. But … he’s up and about.”
The next India vs Australia Test would begin on January 3 at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
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