Perth: Australia skipper Pat Cummins confirmed Mitchell Marsh will take up bowling duties in the first Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test against India, adding that there wouldn’t be any limits on how much the all-rounder can bowl in Perth Stadium from Friday.
In the absence of Cameron Green due to a lower back stress fracture surgery, Marsh’s role as an all-rounder who can give few overs of seam bowling, emerged as a big talking point for Australia ahead of the all-important series.
Marsh has only bowled four overs in competitive cricket since May, after he had to pull out of IPL 2024 campaign for Delhi Capitals due to a hamstring injury and did not bowl in the Sheffield Shield matches he played for Western Australia.
“Well, he’s definitely available to bowl, he’s an allrounder. With the way us four bowlers are set out, we never really budget an allrounder bowling heaps. So I would imagine (Marsh bowls) a few spells each innings or something like that.”
“But he’s ready to go. He’s been bowling really well this week. His body’s great, the best it’s been for a while. We never put an upper limit on anyone. He’s ready to go and happy to bowl as much as we need,” said Cummins in the pre-match press conference on Thursday.
He also talked about how top-order batter Marnus Labuschagne, who has ditched leg-spin for seam bowling, is keen to have a bowl in the Perth Test, after bowling 33.2 overs in his Sheffield Shield matches.
“He’s always trying to impress with the ball, which is great. He loves bowling. He’s bowled some handy overs for Queensland. Obviously, he’s got leg spin, bowled a bit of off spin in the past, and then this year it’s been onto pace bowling. So, I’m sure he’ll get the ball at some stage. He’s been bowling quite a few bouncers as well. So that’s maybe something we’ll turn to at some point.”
Although Australia beat India in last year’s World Test Championship final in London, Australia haven’t won a Border-Gavaskar Trophy series against India for almost a decade. Only Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon and Steve Smith remain from the Australia squad that won 2-0 against India at home in 2014/15.
Cummins admitted winning the upcoming series is something his group of players is itching to clinch. “I think for about half the changeroom, we haven’t won. It’s kinda the last thing to tick off for a lot of us.”
“Almost every challenge that we’ve had thrown with us over the last few years we’ve stepped up and done well. To do that for another year, another home summer, would kind of cement this. Rather than just being a two or three-season thing, it’s suddenly into a half generation thing.”
“It’s basically been the same side for the last two or three years. The week leading in is very normal. It’s all very relaxed. Everyone knows how they need to prepare. One of the strengths of our team is not only the consistency, but how well everyone gets on and how much we love playing together.”
“We’re all excited, we know India are right up there with the best teams. They are missing a couple of guys we are more familiar with, but we know that whoever they pick they will obviously think are good enough for Test cricket,” he concluded.
–IANS