Will he play? Will he not? Will he bowl? Will he not? Australian cricket has been buzzing with uncertainty surrounding Mitchell Marsh’s bowling fitness ahead of the 2nd BGT Test against India in Adelaide. Despite Nathan Lyon’s earlier claims that Marsh would be bowling during training, the all-rounder was seen only batting during Australia’s main training session at the Adelaide Oval.
No Bowling for Mitchell Marsh
After his first batting stint, Mitchell Marsh sat on an esky for about 20 minutes before going inside and then returned 40 minutes later for another batting practice. This has fuelled speculation about his physical condition and ability to contribute with the ball. The 33-year-old has been under an injury cloud since the first Test in Perth, where he bowled more overs (5+12) than initially anticipated.
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2nd BGT: What’s the concern for Marsh?
During that match, his pace noticeably dropped during India’s second innings, forcing the team to rely on Marnus Labuschagne’s medium pace and leg-spin to fill the bowling gaps. Marsh hasn’t bowled at all since the end of Australia’s comprehensive 295-run victory at Optus Stadium. In that match, he bowled 17 overs, which was his heaviest bowling workload since 2019. The team’s management seems cautious about his fitness, with reports suggesting they are leaning towards playing him as a specialist batter.
The Australian team took precautionary measures by calling up in-form Tasmania all-rounder Beau Webster to the squad. Meanwhile, Nathan Lyon remains confident about the team’s bowling strength, pointing to the presence of Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, and recalled fast bowler Scott Boland as sufficient firepower. Josh Hazlewood will miss the Test due to a side strain, with Boland set to replace him.
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