T20 World Cup 2024: Mitchell Marsh to miss bowling duties in entire WC? Andrew McDonald drops concerning update

Australia head coach Andrew McDonald has provided an update on the fitness and injury recovery of Aussie captain Mitchell Marsh for the ICC T20 World Cup 2024. 

Mitchell Marsh had sustained a right hamstring injury during his time with the Delhi Capitals in the 2024 IPL edition which concluded last week. The all-rounder was forced to leave the DC camp after picking up the injury and was also ruled out for the entirety of the richest T20 league. 

Marsh would return to Australia to manage his injury and recover in time before the team's T20 World Cup 2024 campaign which included 2 warm-up games. While the Aussies managed to win their first warm-up against Namibia one-sidedly, they lost to West Indies yesterday in their 2nd warm-up game. Mitchell Marsh took part in both of those matches and scored 22 runs combined. 

Andrew McDonald says Mitchell Marsh was just checking his body in the warm-up games 

Australia head coach Andrew McDonald, who was present in the warm-up game against Namibia as a substitute fielder, opened up on Mitchell Marsh's recovery. The head coach had a positive response towards the injury update and claimed that the warm-up games were just a way to check how his body was responding to the pressure after a month's lay-off. 

After seeing Mitchell Marsh's fielding performance during the game against Namibia, Andrew McDonald felt that the former was growing in confidence. McDonald observed that Marsh moved much more freely and with ease. He also expressed his confidence to see Marsh appear in Australia's opening game of the World Cup. 

As far as Marsh's bowling is concerned, McDonald said that it's something that will take a bit of time and that he won't bowl in the 1st game itself. 

"For Mitch, (the warm-up games) was about ticking off where his body was at. He fielded more overs tonight, he was able to move more freely, so he's building a little bit of confidence there. It looks as though he's all set for the first game. The second part is just when the bowling comes back online … it won't be the first game," McDonald said after the match. 

After shedding light on Mitchell Marsh's hamstring injury progress, Andrew McDonald spoke about the confidence of the team and how everyone is gelling up. McDonald confirmed that the players are finding it easy to adapt to each other and that they are just waiting to finalize their playing XIs for the games. The Aussie head coach has the confidence that he has got a lot of options to try.  

"We feel comfortable though as they know how to play with each other. It will just be finalising the XIs for the games, and the balances that we want. We've got plenty of options," Andrew McDonald concluded.

Can Australia complete the treble? 

The biggest question that is arising at the moment for Australia is whether they can complete the treble of ICC trophies. Aussies are already World Champions in longer formats and it remains to be seen if they can win the biggest prize in the shortest format. By doing so, they will become the first team in history to be World Champions across formats at the same time.