Mitchell Marsh has hinted that his five-month break from bowling may continue through Australia’s T20I series, following a hamstring injury sustained during the IPL. Marsh, who hasn’t bowled in a competitive match since the injury, was also absent from the bowling crease during Australia’s recent 3-0 series sweep against Scotland.
Australia’s T20 team is stacked with all-rounders, and Marsh expressed that he’s more inclined to give bowling opportunities to Cameron Green and Aaron Hardie. He acknowledged that his medium pace might not be necessary given the team's many bowling options. Marsh commented that he is gradually getting back into bowling but isn’t pushing himself to do so just yet. "I don’t bowl myself too much, to be honest," he said, adding that Australia has plenty of bowlers in the squad, and whether he bowls or not remains to be seen.
Australia is likely to manage Marsh’s fitness carefully, aiming to have him fully ready for their five-match Test series against India, which begins on November 22 in Perth. Marsh said that the series "feels like a long time away," but preparations are already being made. Australian coach Andrew McDonald confirmed that the team will carefully manage players' workloads ahead of the series, noting that Pat Cummins is sitting out the entire England tour to rest his bowling arm.
McDonald explained that many of their decisions would be geared toward the upcoming Test series, revealing that players who are part of the Test squad may skip the T20Is against Pakistan in November. "We may have to sacrifice the Pakistan white-ball series with certain players to ensure we’re well-prepared for India’s arrival," McDonald explained, emphasising their desire to be fully prepared for the Test series.
Australia’s current UK tour is their first since their disappointing Super Eight exit in the T20 World Cup back in June. Despite a strong start, winning their first five matches, they were knocked out after consecutive losses to Afghanistan and India. Marsh, who has retained the T20 captaincy and will also lead the team in Cummins’ absence for the ODIs against England, reflected on the World Cup campaign, saying the team went in with hopes of winning but didn’t play their best cricket when it mattered most. He acknowledged that there’s plenty of cricket ahead before the next World Cup in 2026 and expressed hope of being part of the team then.
McDonald pinpointed fielding as a critical area that let Australia down in the T20 World Cup, particularly highlighting five dropped catches in their loss to Afghanistan. He explained that poor fielding made it difficult for the team to execute their game plan. Reflecting on Marsh’s captaincy during the tournament, McDonald praised his decision-making, particularly with bowling changes and field placements, but noted that the team failed to capitalise on key moments, which was evident in the Afghanistan match.