Australia’s stand-in coach for the tri-series, Justin Langer was full of appreciation for all-rounder Mitchell Marsh. Marsh played a superb knock against West Indies in Australia’s previous fixture at Barbados to get his side home in a rather tricky run chase. Marsh was simply exceptional in the chase as he displayed the characteristics often displayed by Indian skipper MS Dhoni as he absorbed the pressure and stretched the game till the very end in order to get Australia home.
Langer, while speaking to the press ahead of the final against West Indies on Sunday, said that Marsh deserved to bat higher up the order. Langer was of the view that Marsh had been in great batting form in recent times, and could easily bat at 4 in all three forms of the game.
“That was one of the innings of his career,” Langer said. “For him to be there at the end was a great achievement for him and a huge confidence booster going forward for him.”And its’ a huge confidence booster for the Australian cricket team having a player like him not only having potential and having talent but also having performances.”
“It’s easy in life to say ‘just go out there and back yourself and just be confident’. But until you’ve done it and it’s in your blood and it becomes part of you and you’ve got to earn to right to have that. “Every time you have a great innings for Australia, that just gets you closer to feeling like you’re really a part of it and you really belong.”There’s been a lot of great players who have had that one big innings and it’s changed their career. I know the feeling, that’s for sure,” Langer added.
Backing all-rounder to bat at 4 in all forms, Langer said, “I think he can easily become a four of five in all formats of the game.” “I think he’s that talented and with a bit of confidence and a bit more experience, there’s absolutely zero concern for me that he wouldn’t be able to do the job up the order for Australia. “He could easily be a four, five, six, possibly higher than that, and I think that’s what he’ll be aspiring to do and he’s certainly got the ability to do that.”