Allan Border Suggests A 'Left-Field' Selection Choice In Shaun Marsh For Injury-Ridden Australia
Published - 09 Dec 2020, 02:26 PM | Updated - 23 Aug 2024, 12:35 PM
Legendary Australian cricketer Allan Border feels that a ‘left-field’ selection choice in the form of 37-year-old Shaun Marsh could be a short-term fix for the home side in the upcoming four-match series against India.
Australia has been grappling with injury woes and has been really hamstrung as far as the choices for the opener’s position is concerned.
Veteran opener David Warner has already been ruled out of the opening Test at the Adelaide Oval after he tore his abductor muscle while fielding during the second One-day International against India. Will Pucovski, on the other hand, suffered his ninth concussion after coping a vicious blow on his helmet during the three-day practice game against India, which has made him a doubtful starter for the Pink Ball Test.
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And, to make matters, even more, worse, incumbent opener Joe Burns is going through a horror-run, having managed just 61 runs in his last seven first-class matches, including a 4 & 0 across two innings in the recently-concluded practice match against India.
‘I think maybe even Shaun Marsh could be one of those stop-gap guys’- Allan Border
According to Allan Border, Australia can push Marnus Labuschagne at the top of the order and reinforce the middle-order by adding Shaun Marsh.
Shaun Marsh, who registered just one 50-plus scores in seven outings during the previous home series against India, has been in red-hot form this summer. In six Shield matches, the Western Australian is averaging 97, having hammed four hundreds and an 88.
Border also made a case for the return of Marcus Harris at the top of the order. Harris also has been in brilliant form in FC cricket this year. The left-hander, who broke the record for the highest partnership in Shield cricket alongside Will Pucovski, is averaging 103.75 this summer.
“Right out of left field, I think maybe even Shaun Marsh could be one of those stop gap guys given the experience we need at the top of the order.” Allan Border told Fox Cricket.
“You could move Marnus Labuschagne up to the top of the order. He’s shown that he can handle the new ball; batting at number three you have to do a bit of that at times […] Marcus Harris has been in some good touch, he could be one of those young bolters that could come in and do the job for you.” he added.
Australia has announced a 12-man squad for the pink-ball practice game against India at the SCG.
JUST IN: The Australia A 12-man squad to play India: Sean Abbott, Joe Burns, Alex Carey (c, wk), Harry Conway, Cameron Green, Marcus Harris, Moises Henriques, Nic Maddinson, Ben McDermott, Mark Steketee, Will Sutherland, Mitchell Swepson #<!---->A<!---->U<!---->S<!---->v<!---->I<!---->N<!---->D
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