Can Australia fit two allrounders in their top six for the first Test against India at the Gabba?
Mitchell Marsh’s 87 in Australia’s first innings of 261 in Abu Dhabi against Pakistan on Saturday showed the 23-year-old had learnt from his mistakes of his debut in Dubai a week earlier, where he made 27 and three.
Marsh played with an attacking style, hitting 13 fours and one six off 116 deliveries.
The pace-bowling allrounder doesn’t have far to look for advice.
His brother Shaun is an ex-No.3 for Australia and his father Geoff is a former Test vice-captain.
Geoff also coached Australia and the understated “Swampy” has been telling Mitchell to keep his head down and don’t get ahead of himself.
Geoff presented Mitchell with his cap on October 22 just before the start of play in the Dubai Test.
Mitchell has already had to deal with the expectations of others, including a newspaper column from Test captain Michael Clarke which said Mitchell might have the top job himself one day.
A short-term issue for Marsh, whose skill set is well-suited to Australian conditions especially his home ground at the WACA, is his possible role in the four-Test series against India starting on December 4 in Brisbane.
The likely return of allrounder Shane Watson from injury could mean several things. While Watson is capable of filling a top-order role, he may find himself at No.6 if Alex Doolan regains form or another candidate emerges for No.3.
However Watson could just as easily bat at No.3 and Marsh at No.6, giving Australia the luxury of two allrounders plus four specialist bowlers.
Short-term, Marsh won’t be too disheartened to be excluded from the Test side.
There’s a World Cup coming up on home soil in February.
Australia will host a one-day series against South Africa starting on November 14 in Perth, and Watson and Marsh are both in Australia’s squad.
“Shane Watson is the premier allrounder in Australian cricket and I have the utmost respect for that,” Marsh said.
“He’s been a great help for me over the last few years. Hopefully we get to play with each other in the same side in a couple of weeks.”
