New Delhi:
Mitchell Marsh’s woes have increased not only on the field but off the field as well. The Australian all-rounder, who was dropped from the Test series against Sri Lanka, will miss the upcoming ODI against India in Sydney on January 12 due to a stomach bug. In his place, Ashton Turner, currently playing for the Perth Scorchers in the Big Bash League, will take his place in the Australian cricket team. Marsh’s omission comes at a wrong time when Turner is performing very well in the Big Bash League, scoring 60*, 47 and 43* in three games against Sydney Thunder, Brisbane Heat and Melbourne Stars.
Speaking about the selection, Australia cricket team coach Justin Langer admitted that Marsh’s absence will make an impact when it comes to the squad selection. Speaking in the pre-match press conference, Langer said, “We could have had maybe the two medium-pace options as the extra quick. That might change a bit now. A lot of the teams around the world are doing it. There's no doubt India will do it against us. It's something we'll have a look at,” Langer said. Australia has included Adam Zampa, the legspinner and Nathan Lyon, the offspinner in the side for the series against India but they will have to tinker with the squad composition and perhaps think of playing both of them.
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However, Langer said the one key factor that helped Turner break into the Australian side was not his consistency but rather his athletic running between the wickets. “That might sound like the dumbest thing you've ever heard but Turner’s running between the wickets is unbelievable, he's such a great athlete and one of the hallmarks of great Australian teams is the running, it's a basic but he does that,” Langer said.
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The Australian coach also focused on the increased demand for batsmen who can finish the innings off well during the death overs of the innings and he believes that Turner can do the job. “He's shown that particularly in what we can go off in the Big Bash. He's in great form. He's an elite athlete in the field and he's also a captain. You see the way he finishes innings that he's a good thinker and a really good leader,” Langer said.
India will play three ODIs against Australia starting in Sydney on January 12, followed by games in Adelaide on January 15 and Melbourne in January 18.
