Mitch Marsh has joined Australia’s squad in Dubai with a torn hamstring and is in doubt for his Test debut against Pakistan this month.
Marsh had been in tremendous form, thrashing an unbeaten 63 on Tuesday for Perth Scorchers against Lahore Lions in Bangalore in the Champions League T20.
However during that match the 22-year-old West Australian felt a pinch while trying to field a ball and left the arena for eight overs before returning to play another exciting innings of big hits.
Australia team physio Alex Kountouris told reporters on Thursday night that Marsh will miss the T20 game against Pakistan on Sunday (Monday morning AEDT), and is unlikely for the three-match series of one-day internationals.
Australia will play a four-day game against Pakistan A starting on October 15 in Sharjah, followed by the first Test in Dubai on October 22.
Spin-bowling allrounder Glenn Maxwell could be pushing hard for a Test recall if Marsh is ruled out.
Test skipper Michael Clarke is also in some doubt with a hamstring injury.
Kountouris says Marsh might be fit enough to play in the tour match as a batsman, and bowl a few overs.
However Australia coach Darren Lehmann’s desire to have an allrounder capable of bowling long spells, especially with Shane Watson out due to a calf injury, means the pressure will be on Marsh to prove his fitness beyond doubt.
“We’ve done a scan. The main concern there is he had surgery on that (left) hamstring two years ago, he ruptured his hamstring up high near his hip,” Kountouris said.
“It looks like he’s torn some of the scar tissue around the surgery.
“We’re getting some opinions from back home (including) from the guy who did the surgery, just to double check with what we’re doing.
“The consensus is that he’s only torn the scar tissue but we’re still looking into it.
“If that’s the only thing that’s happened it’s going to be a sort of mild hamstring strain.”
Kountouris says Marsh is moving around okay, but playing in the ODI series is probably too risky.
“There’s certainly enough time for the Test matches,” Kountouris said.
“It’s just a matter of getting his bowling back up is going to be the tricky part.
“If it was really bad then we would be worried about that but I don’t think so.”
MITCH MARSH’S RISE TO PROMINENCE
* Age: 22
* One-day international debut: Oct 2011 at Centurion v South Africa
* ODI record: 261 runs at 37.28 and 4 wickets at 39.00 in 9 matches
* T20 International debut: Oct 2011 at Johannesburg v South Africa
* T20I record: 49 runs at 24.50 and 1 wicket at 41.00 in 3 matches
* Most recent performance: 2-12 and 63 not out for Perth Scorchers in Champions League T20 match against Lahore Lions in Bangalore on Sept 30
* Most recent international series: hit 222 at an average of 55.50 in five matches with a best of 89 to be Australia’s second-leading runscorer in the tri-series of ODIs against South Africa and hosts Zimbabwe. Marsh’s 86 not out off 51 balls against South Africa on September 2 included five fours and seven sixes, hitting the mighty Dale Steyn for 21 off an over.
