Australian all-rounder Mitchell Marsh may have been sitting on the sidelines or preparing for the Big Bash League (BBL) 2024-25 had it not been for pace-bowling all-rounder Cameron Green's injury. But he is set to play in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 opener at the Optus Stadium in Perth.
Ahead of the first Test, Marsh opened up on his mental struggle. He was booed by the Australian crowd during the Boxing Day Test against Virat Kohli-led India at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). He has been in an out of the Test squad. At times, the Australian selectors fall back to Marsh as fast-bowling all-rounders are a rare commodity. Before the much anticipated first Test begins, Marsh reveals that he gets anxious everytime he gets out to bat.
“The truthful answer is I’m human, and anytime I walk out to bat, I’m s****ing myself like any other bloke,” Marsh told Fox Cricket.
Marsh revives Test career
Marsh replaced Green in 2023 Ashes clash at The Headingley, Leeds, and scored a century along with two wickets. A year later, Marsh revealed that he has worked on the mental aspect of the game.
“I’ve worked really hard on the mental side of my game, to be able to walk out there and get straight into my pre-ball routines, no matter how nervous I am,” Marsh said.
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“For me, it’s all about my preparation. If I prepare as well as I possibly can, I go into a game or an innings really confident, then if I fail, I can look at myself in the mirror and say that I’ve actually done all I can. Sometimes it’s a good ball, sometimes it’s a mental error. You learn from that, and you move on quickly.”
Marsh's Test record vs India
The 33-year-old does not have the best of records against India whether it is with bat or ball. From five Tests, he has just one wicket and scored 165 runs at an average of 18.33. He is yet to score a half-century against India in red-ball cricket.
