Mitchell Marsh and Pat Cummins. (Source – Getty Images)
Mitchell Marsh’s availability for the second Test against India in Adelaide was in doubt. However, days before the game, the team management confirmed that the star all-rounder will feature in the playing XI but there were questions about his bowling fitness. Marsh bowled only four overs in the match as Australia won the game by 10 wickets. Speaking on the same, the Perth-born cricketer stated, that he is ready to bowl more if captain Pat Cummins needs him.
He also thanked the team management for allowing him some time to recover between the first and second Test of the series. Marsh added that he didn’t bowl as much leading up to the series but head coach Andrew McDonald and Cummins supported him and that he trusts the vision that the team has for him.
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“Not in my mind, no. I’ll try and be ready to bowl as much as Patty needs me. Our allrounders haven’t bowled a hell of a lot in Australia the last few years, but I am really thankful for our medical staff and Ronny [coach Andrew McDonald] and Patty who have allowed me the space between that first and second Test to just get right for the game. I didn’t bowl as much as I would have liked to in the lead-up to the series, but our medical staff, Ronnie and Patty were really clear. I trusted that,” Marsh said as quoted by ESPNcricinfo.
Marsh opens up on controversial Adelaide dismissal
Mitchell Marsh walked off after a strong caught-behind appeal by Ravichandran Ashwin on Day 2 of the second Test. Umpire Richard Illingworth wasn’t entirely convinced but he had to raise his finger as Marsh started walking back. Reflecting on the same, the cricketer noted that he felt to have hit the ball but once he saw the replay in the dressing room, the all-rounder had his hands on his head.
“The reality is I thought I hit it and I didn’t. I didn’t speak to Heady [at the non-striker’s end]. I had a mare. When I got to the change rooms they asked if I hit it and I said ‘yeah, I smashed it’. And then the replay came up and the head went into the hands and about one minute later everyone else was laughing at me,” Marsh said.