Australian all-rounder Mitchell Marsh is confident to play as a specialist batter, as he returns for the three-match ODI series against India starting from March 17 onwards.
Marsh will be returning to the national side after a three-month injury layoff. He has not played an ODI since the series against England in last November, the 31-year-old was named in the 16-man squad for the ODI series against India.
Marsh has made a recovery from keyhole surgery on his left ankle, having battled the injury throughout his career. He missed the entire recently concluded Big Bash League (BBL) season and will be making his comeback for Western Australia against Tasmania in Marsh Cup on Sunday.
He is also expected to play in Marsh Cup final on March 8 before travelling to India for the series, which is deemed to be important for Aussies’ preparations for ICC Cricket World Cup, which will take place in India in October-November this year.
“It has been a solid three months of rehab, thoroughly planned out,” Marsh was quoted as saying by ESPNCricinfo to reporters in Hobart.
“I have had no setbacks and looking forward to getting back into it now,” added Marsh.
He is not quite ready to return to bowling and will progress in that over the next few weeks.
“I have not started bowling, will progress that over the next few weeks. I am confident to play as a [specialist] batsman. For now, it is a bit of a luxury to come back as a batsman and we will see how the bowling goes. But I have done the work, the rehab has gone to plan and I am ready to go,” said Marsh.
Marsh is a vital part of Australian white-ball teams because of his powerful hitting and accurate seam bowling. He also is seen as a potential T20I captain following the recent retirement of ICC T20 World Cup winning skipper Aaron Finch.
Marsh hopes that he is able to prolong his all-format career with his ankle repaired. He aims to end a near four-year drought in Test cricket, having last played the longer format against England in September 2019. He also said that he loves being an all-rounder and will continue being so as long as he can.
“All formats are on the cards for me,” said Marsh, who played 32 Tests between 2014 and 2019.
“I have a lot of cricket left in my body. I always loved being an allrounder, which allows me to be in the game at all times. I will continue to be an all-rounder as long as I can.”
“It [surgery] was not a decision made lightly, especially how much I love playing for Perth Scorchers. For my career, long-term, and with the Ashes – which I am hoping to be part of the squad – and the World Cup this year, I wanted to make sure I had a lot of cricket under my belt,” Marsh concluded his point.
Marsh missed Perth’s epic BBL title defence, but he celebrated it in a memorable way by running into the Optus Stadium with his teammates moments after Nick Hobson hit the winning runs.
“If you saw the way I ran out on the ground when they won, I felt like I played. That is the culture we bred, we want to produce Australian cricketers. If they [Western Australia] make the Shield final, I will be watching again but I will be cheering just as loud,” said Marsh.
Having watched Australia get bamboozled by Indian spinners on turning pitches during the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Marsh predicts different conditions for the 50-over series.
“Wickets there for ODIs are fairly flat and high-scoring affairs. I would be surprised if we get anything different. The guys will be well prepared, so they will be raring to go,” concluded Marsh.
Australia has named a trio of key players in their squad to make a return from injury during next month’s three-match ODI series in India.
Selectors announced a strong 16-player squad for the series on Thursday, with all-rounders Glenn Maxwell (broken leg) and Mitch Marsh (ankle) set to be joined by pacer Jhye Richardson (hamstring) in a small group slated to make their international return during the series.
The first ODI between Australia and India is in Mumbai on March 17, before the remaining two games in Vizag (March 19) and Chennai (March 22).
Australia ODI squad: Pat Cummins (C), Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Jhye Richardson, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, David Warner and Adam Zampa. (ANI)
