SCG axe leaves Mitchell Marsh’s Test career at crossroads

by Admin
January 2, 2025

It has been one of the feel-good stories in Australian cricket over the last 18 months, but not quite a year on from being named the Allan Border Medalist, and giving an acceptance speech for the ages, Mitchell Marsh’s Test career is at a crossroads.

“Not necessarily blindsided,” Cummins said of Marsh’s reaction when the news was given to him that he was dropped for the final Test against India at the SCG with Beau Webster handed a debut in his place. With 73 runs in the series and limited impact with the ball, the numbers were not in his favour.

Having been informed of the decision before Cummins spoke to reporters, Marsh left the nets having not batted but still signed autographs and posed for pictures with fans who had come in to watch Australia’s opening training session. A very popular team figure, Cummins made a point of mentioning Marsh’s first thoughts on Webster’s inclusion. “The first thing he said was, ‘I can’t wait to see Beau out there and give it a crack’,” Cummins said.

Sydney Tests against India have not been kind to Marsh. In the 2018-19 series he was also dropped for the equivalent fixture having made a one-match return at the MCG where he was booed in what became an often-recalled story of his career. From there he played one Test in four and a half years before his return midway through the 2023 Ashes.

In the last few weeks Marsh has looked a shadow of the player who produced a string of match-changing innings since his recall against England. That day at Headingley he was dropped on 12 at slip before racing to a thrilling hundred. Marsh said he played that game as though it was his last, having undergone ankle surgery earlier in the year to give himself a chance of playing Test cricket again. But such was the impact he had he remained for 14 consecutive matches, even forcing Cameron Green to the sidelines early last summer.

However, this series he has only once threatened to dominate with the bat, making 47 in the second innings Perth with Australia’s defeat inevitable. At times he has appeared caught between attack and defence.

Marsh’s bowling workload has been a regular talking point – since the Perth Test he has sent down just 16 overs – but while Cummins referenced Webster’s capabilities with the ball, for a match where the workloads of the captain and Mitchell Starc will be of particular focus, it is the lack of runs that has cost Marsh his spot.

“He was in the side this summer for being a top six batter so that’s generally a guiding principle when you are picking a top order,” Cummins said. “Think when he’s at his best he gets into the side on his batting alone and his bowling’s a bonus.”

At 33 it doesn’t have to be the end of Marsh’s Test career, something which Cummins stressed when he confirmed the team, but like Green missing out in England to give him his unexpected return, he will now wait for the cards to fall in his favour. Green will return later in 2025 while Webster has moved ahead of him in the pecking order and, if he can regain bowling fitness, Aaron Hardie will likely soon move up the list.

It’s difficult to see a road for Marsh’s return. Australia are likely to get creative with the balance of their side in Sri Lanka in late January, and playing spin is not one of Marsh’s strengths despite his natural power down the ground. It would be difficult to see him being recalled for a World Test Championship final should Australia qualify having just been left out. Being a key part of Australia’s ODI side means he will also miss Sheffield Shield cricket in February and early March.

It is the second significant selection call Australia have made in the last two Tests following the axing of Nathan McSweeney in favour of Sam Konstas, a move that paid off in dramatic style at the MCG.

In contrast to 19-year-old Konstas, Webster is a player who has done the hard yards through domestic cricket to earn a debut aged 31. In 2023-24 he scored 938 runs and took 30 wickets in the Sheffield Shield, a return only bettered by Garry Sobers. He is also one of the best slip catchers in Australia.

He has reinvented himself, too, having revived his medium pace during the 2020 Covid lockdowns to a point where it has now overtaken offspin as his primary weapon with the ball.

“I don’t think I’d be standing here if I was still wheeling out the offspinners,” Webster said in Melbourne last week. “It’s a part of my game I’ve been really proud to develop in the last four years. It’s taken a lot of hard work early doors from being sore at the start and trying to get my body used to bowling a few overs here and there and then bowling lots and lots of Tasmania.

“Now it feels like it’s as important as my batting game and they go hand-in-hand if you’re struggling with the bat you can still contribute with the ball and vice versa.”

Webster will have good memories of his most recent outing at the SCG where he helped Tasmania to victory over New South Wales with a total of 110 runs and five wickets in the match.

“He’s a special player at the moment,” Tasmania captain Jordan Silk said after that match in late November. “Any time I feel like we’re in trouble, I feel like I can throw him the ball and he just seems to be able to create something.”

Andrew McGlashan is a deputy editor at ESPNcricinfo