Australia‘s preparations for the second Test of the Border-Gavaskar series against India have been shaken by fitness concerns surrounding all-rounder Mitchell Marsh. Notably, Marsh, who bowled 17 overs in the first Test at Perth—his heaviest bowling workload in three years—was left sore after the home team’s 295-run defeat.
Mitchell Marsh likely to feature only as a batter for Adeliade Test
Head coach Andrew McDonald acknowledged Marsh’s limited preparation, noting the absence of Cameron Green, who was ruled out of the series due to a stress fracture in his back. It is possible Marsh may retain his place in the playing XI for the pink-ball Test in Adelaide but feature as a specialist batter. This would, however, add strain to the frontline pacers, especially with the Brisbane Test beginning just four days after the conclusion of the Adelaide match.
Tasmanian all-rounder earns maiden call-up
To bolster their squad, Cricket Australia has called up Tasmanian all-rounder Beau Webster for the day-night Test, scheduled to begin on December 6. Webster’s inclusion comes despite earlier statements from McDonald indicating no changes to the 13-member squad.
The 30-year-old has been in sensational form in domestic cricket. Last season, he became only the second player in Sheffield Shield history, after Sir Garfield Sobers, to amass over 900 runs and take 30 wickets in a single season. This year, Webster has already scored 448 runs at an average of 56, alongside 16 wickets in first-class cricket. His recent performances against the touring India A team, which included unbeaten scores of 61 and 46 coupled with two three-wicket hauls, further underscored his all-round prowess.
Australia squad for the second Test
Pat Cummins (c), Scott Boland, Alex Carey (wk), Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Nathan McSweeney, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Beau Webster
The hosts aim to rebound after Perth defeat
After suffering a heavy 295-run loss in the series opener at Perth, Australia will be eager to bounce back in the pink-ball Test at Adelaide. The defeat highlighted several areas of concern for the Australian team, most notably their bowling depth and batting consistency. Despite a spirited fight from Travis Head, who was one of the few Australian players to show resilience with the bat, the hosts struggled to counter India’s potent attack, led by Jasprit Bumrah. The hosts must be hoping to address the issues and adapt to the challenging conditions of the Adelaide Test, where the pink ball and twilight conditions will add a new layer of complexity to the contest.
AUS vs IND 2024: Australia add Tasmanian all-rounder for Adelaide Test amid Mitchell Marsh’s fitness concerns
