New Delhi:Australia captain Mitchell Marsh will miss the upcoming one-day international series against Pakistan starting May 30. The all-rounder is said to be battling an ankle injury that had also kept him out of Lucknow Super Giants’ last league game of the season versus Punjab Kings.
There is very little information available on Marsh’s injury from Cricket Australia, and it is not clear whether the player will miss only the tour to Pakistan or the ODI series against Bangladesh as well, which begins on June 9. That will be followed by a T20I series later in the month.
With Marsh unavailable, Josh Inglis will now lead the ODI squad, with regular captain and senior batter Travis Head unavailable due to their playoff commitments.
Inglis has now been elevated to the team’s fourth-choice ODI captain for the series. The keeper-batter had captained Australia in one ODI and three T20 internationals against Pakistan late last year. Former Australia captain during an ODI series in the Caribbean in 2021 is another leadership option in the squad.
Connolly could take Marsh's placeAustralia has already lost Cummins, Head, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc and its resources are depleted. Several fringe players like Cooper Connolly, Xavier Bartlett and Ben Dwarshuis were initially not included in the Pakistan leg as their IPL duties were to continue till the playoffs. But following the franchise’s late collapse, the door has been opened for the possibility of additions to the squad. Marsh has not yet been replaced, but Connolly could be added to the group sooner than expected.
Marsh’s departure also leaves Australia a little light at the top of the batting order. The 33-year-old had been destructive in the latter stages of the IPL, striking at over 163 in his last four innings, including scores of 111, 90 and 96.
The absence of Marsh means the team management has to rethink their opening combination. Matt Short had looked the likely partner for Marsh in the absence of Head, but other options are being discussed. Carey can be promoted up the order and teenage batter Ollie Peake is also in the mix for a middle-order opportunity.
Australia coach Andrew McDonald is also likely to continue experimenting with Cameron Green in the middle order as the team looks for a long-term successor to in ODI cricket.
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