Bailey: Marsh's Skill Set Vital for Upcoming Ashes
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Synopsis
Australia's chief selector George Bailey has emphasized that Mitchell Marsh is still a crucial part of their plans for the 2025-26 Ashes, highlighting his skills against England's pace-heavy attack led by Jofra Archer and Mark Wood.
Key Takeaways
- Mitchell Marsh remains part of Australia's 2025-26 Ashes plans.
- Bailey believes Marsh's skills can be pivotal against England.
- Marsh faced recent injury issues but is performing well in IPL 2025.
- He is still the captain of Australia's T20 team.
- Bailey sees Marsh as valuable for the T20 World Cup.
Melbourne, April 1 (NationPress) Australia's chief selector George Bailey has confirmed that seasoned all-rounder Mitchell Marsh remains integral to their strategy for the 2025-26 Ashes against England's formidable pace attack, spearheaded by Jofra Archer and Mark Wood.
Marsh has recently struggled with a back injury and was removed from the squad after the fourth Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series against India, following a streak of low scores. He played for the Perth Scorchers in a BBL match on January 7 but did not participate in the remainder of the domestic season. Recently, he has been active with the Lucknow Super Giants in the ongoing IPL 2025 season.
"I don’t believe that his red-ball career is finished. He may not have scored the runs he wanted, or we hoped for, before his exclusion from the Test team. Yet, I see an incredibly exciting skill set in his batting that can change the course of a game," Bailey expressed during a virtual press conference after announcing the contract list.
Looking ahead to a team like England and their style of play, Bailey remarked, "I think he possesses a skill set that could prove advantageous." The 33-year-old is currently focused solely on batting in the IPL, excelling in his first two matches with scores of 72 off 36 balls and 52 off 31, both times as an Impact Substitute.
"He still has an important role to fulfill. He has battled injury setbacks and was dealing with back issues towards the end of summer. Discussions continue regarding his bowling future in international cricket. For now, he is participating in the IPL purely as a batter," Bailey noted.
As the captain of Australia’s T20I team, Marsh is expected to lead the squad in next year’s T20 World Cup.
"He remains the captain of our T20 team and has the potential to play a crucial role in establishing that team and leading them to success in the T20 World Cup. I believe he still has a significant amount of one-day cricket left in him, making him a valuable member of the white-ball teams," Bailey added.
