Australia’s journey in the Cricket World Cup 2023 has just hit another roadblock. Their star player, Mitchell Marsh, won’t be able to play against England (ENG vs AUS) in their upcoming match due to personal reasons.
He has flown back home to Perth, which means he won’t be part of the team in their game on Saturday in Ahmedabad. This setback follows another one, with Glenn Maxwell also ruled out after suffering a concussion during a golf outing on Monday.
Cricket Australia made it official with a statement on Thursday, confirming Mitchell Marsh’s departure. The statement mentioned that Mitchell Marsh left the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 for personal reasons and didn’t specify when he might return. They also noted that no further details would be provided at this time.
“Australian allrounder Mitchell Marsh has returned home from the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 late last night for personal reasons. A timeline on his return to the squad is to be confirmed. No further detail will be offered at this time,” the statement read.
Steve Smith at No 3 in place of Mitchell Marsh
As for the team’s lineup, Marcus Stoinis seems likely to be ready to rejoin the squad after recovering from a minor calf issue that kept him out of the last two matches against the Netherlands and New Zealand.
Cameron Green is also expected to make a comeback, and Marnus Labuschagne will continue to hold his position in the middle order. But here’s the catch: Australia will have only 13 fit players for the match against England, with Sean Abbott and Alex Carey as the only other options on the squad.
Mitchell Marsh’s absence will probably lead to Steven Smith taking his spot at No.3 in the lineup.
This is a significant setback for Australia because they’re missing two of their most explosive and impactful players, Mitchell Marsh and Glenn Maxwell, as they strive to secure a spot in the semi-finals.
This unfortunate turn of events has disrupted their team’s balance and is a source of concern for Australian cricket fans ahead of ENG vs AUS.
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