Mitch Marsh expects to be “six beers deep” by lunch on day one of many Ashes, insistent he has given no thought to an unlikely call-up for Australia.
Marsh was thrown into the highlight on Sunday night time when former England captain Michael Vaughan claimed the West Australian ought to open within the first Take a look at.
In principle Vaughan’s name has some foundation to it, even when Marnus Labuschagne, Jake Weatherald or Matt Renshaw seem way more seemingly.
Marsh is a person in type. His hard-hitting 46 not out in Australia’s ODI win over India on Sunday comes after an unbeaten century in opposition to New Zealand earlier this month.
The 34-year-old would additionally match the mould in the kind of opener Australia’s selectors want subsequent to Usman Khawaja.
It’s no secret that Khawaja is at his finest when batting alongside a quicker scorer, as evidenced by his lengthy interval of success opening with David Warner.
Marsh went at a strike charge of 67.8 on his Take a look at return in 2023, till his lack of runs in the end noticed him dropped on the finish of final yr.
However in actuality, it seems unlikely Marsh would be the man to associate Khawaja in Perth on November 21.
The all-rounder hasn’t performed a red-ball match since final December, and won’t function within the Sheffield Defend once more till after the squad is called for the primary Take a look at.
When first requested after his century in New Zealand final month if his thoughts was in any respect on incomes an Ashes recall, Marsh merely responded: “No”.
Then put to him in Perth on Saturday that he may nonetheless be within the choice body, Marsh mentioned his solely Ashes ideas was that he had tickets for the primary two days.
And when questioned by former coach Darren Lehamann on ABC Radio on Sunday night time if he needed to be within the crew and opening, Marsh once more laughed off the suggestion.
“I will be six beers deep by lunch on day one,” Marsh quipped.
“However I might by no means say no about enjoying Take a look at cricket once more.”
It comes after chief selector George Bailey recommended on Saturday that Marsh’s instant plans seemingly revolved round captaining subsequent yr’s Twenty20 World Cup facet.
“I feel his focus very a lot at this stage in his thoughts is let’s get this squad prepared for the T20 World Cup,” Bailey instructed reporters in Perth.
“There’s two white-ball sequence. He is been in personally fantastic one-day and T20 type. In order that’s nice.
“After which I feel at some stage there will likely be conversations round the place he is at together with his red-ball cricket.
“I mentioned a very long time in the past, I did not assume that the door was closed for him to play red-ball cricket. I feel (coach) Andrew McDonald has backed that up.
“I feel the ultimate piece of that puzzle is the place Mitch feels about it. That is most likely crucial piece of the puzzle.”
AAP
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