For the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024, set to take place in the West Indies and the United States of America (USA), Mitchell Marsh will lead Australia’s 15-member squad. However, his fitness issue has been a real concern for the 2021 champions.
Mitchell Marsh was a key member of the Delhi Capitals in this Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024. He nailed 61 runs in four games at an average of 15.25 and a strike rate of 160.33 before getting injured.
At the start of April, the all-rounder was ruled out of the tournament with a hamstring rupture, and quite unfortunately, since returning from India, his recovery process has passed at a slow pace.
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‘No real concern about match fitness’- Andrew McDonald on Mitchell Marsh
The T20 leader of the Australia squad joined a few of the other members, who haven’t participated in the IPL 2024 and has engaged himself for a three-day pre-tournament training camp in Brisbane. Another camp is also organized in the next two weeks before the team leaves for the West Indies on May 25.
Mitchell Marsh wasn’t stated to be taking any participation in the game due to the hamstring issue, but a little bit of recovery has allowed him to bat in the nets for the last couple of days.
Australia coach Andrew McDonald, in spite of the injury, has backed the national captain to gain full fitness going into the T20 World Cup 2024. He also warned that Marsh’s bowling fitness might take more time.
‘You probably won’t see him bowl in the next couple of weeks here.’ McDonald said to the reporters at the Allan Border Field in Brisbane on Tuesday. ‘It’ll probably happen the week before we leave. And then he’ll be able to ramp that up when we’re over there.’
‘We’ll be able to cherry-pick the moments during the tournament where he will be useful with the ball.’ McDonald expressed in the chat. ‘We’ve got some all-round depth in the squad, which gives us good coverage anyway.’
He also obeyed the fact that they expected a little quicker recovery of Mitchell Marsh than the current status. Even though, the right-handed batter has shown positive signs in the field.
‘(The recovery of Mitchell Marsh was) probably a little slower than expected on the back of the hamstring. But we’ve got plenty of time now that he has been ruled out of the IPL.’ McDonald hoped. ‘The first game is just short of a month away now. So ample time for him to get ready. But really positive to see the skipper on the park.’
With Australia are scheduled to play some of the practice games before their maiden game against Oman, Mitchell Marsh won’t have any lack of practice going into the campaign.
‘No real concern about match fitness.’ McDonald told the reporters. ‘We’ve got a couple of practice games when we get to Trinidad in the support period. So, he will likely (to) get plenty of match opportunities. And if not, we’ll be able to simulate those through practice, which our coaching staff are pretty good at.’
Australia will start its T20 World Cup 2024 journey against Oman on June 05 at the Kensington Oval, Bridgetown, in Barbados.