Mitchell Marsh


Mitchell Ross Marsh is an Australian international cricketer who represents Australia in ODIs and captains in T20Is. Marsh previously played Test cricket, and has captained in ODIs and has served as vice captain in all formats. Marsh currently plays for Western Australia for domestic cricket, Perth Scorchers in the Big Bash League and the Lucknow Super Giants in the Indian Premier League.
Marsh was a member of the Australian teams that won the 2015 Cricket World Cup, 2021 T20 World Cup and vice-captain for the 2023 Cricket World Cup.
Marsh previously played for Deccan Chargers, Pune Warriors India, Sunrisers Hyderabad and Delhi Capitals.

Early and personal life

Marsh is the second son of Geoff Marsh and younger brother of Shaun Marsh, both of whom have played for the Australian national side. His sister, Melissa Marsh, is a former professional basketball player and he is cousin to retired AFL player, Brad Sheppard. He was raised in Perth, Western Australia, where he attended Wesley College.
In addition to cricket, Marsh was also a talented Australian rules footballer in his youth and represented Western Australia at the 2008 AFL Under 18 Championships. Although a West Australian, Marsh has stated that he has always supported the North Melbourne Football Club
In April 2023, he married Greta Mack.

Domestic career

Marsh made his debut for the Warriors at the age of 17 in February 2009 in a Ford Ranger Cup game at Bunbury. He became the youngest ever player in an Australian domestic one-day game and Western Australia's youngest debutant for 70 years. In April 2009, he played for Australia's under-19 team against India and was the team captain during the 2010 Under-19 Cricket World Cup. Under his leadership Australia won the tournament, Marsh having a successful tournament scoring 201 runs, including a match winning 97 in the semi-final against Sri Lanka.
Marsh was signed by Deccan Chargers for the 2010 Indian Premier League and in 2011 was bought by Pune Warriors, the team coached at the time by his father. He played for Pune for the three years that the team existed and in 2016 and 2017 played for Rising Pune Supergiants for the two seasons that team existed.
Playing for Australia A against India A in July 2014 at Allan Border Field, Marsh scored 211 runs batting seventh in Australia's first innings, his first double century. He and Sam Whiteman, who scored 174 runs, put on 371 runs for the seventh wicket, an Australian record and, at the time, the second-highest seventh-wicket partnership in first-class cricket. The previous Australian record, set by Queenslanders Cassie Andrews and Eric Bensted, had stood since the 1934–35 season.
In 2020, Marsh signed to play in England for Middlesex County Cricket Club in the 2020 t20 Blast competition, but the move was cancelled due to the rescheduling of the competition in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. He signed again for the 2021 season, but this move was also cancelled after Marsh was called up to play international cricket for Australia. He was bought by Sunrisers Hyderabad for the 2020 IPL, although he only played in one match of the competition due to injury, and he withdrew from the 2021 Indian Premier League due to bio-bubble fatigue during the pandemic.
In the 2022 IPL Auction, Marsh was bought by the Delhi Capitals.
Marsh was signed by the Seattle Orcas for the first edition of Major League Cricket in March 2023.

International career

Debut years

In September 2011, Marsh was named in Australia's Twenty20 squad to tour South Africa. He was later added to the One Day International squad following Brett Lee's withdrawal due to injury. He made a spectacular debut for Australia in the second T20I match of the series, scoring 36 runs including four sixes, three of which were hit in the final over of the Australian innings. In August 2014, Marsh scored 89 runs against Zimbabwe in first match of the Tri-series at Harare Sports Club, adding 109 runs for the fourth wicket with Glenn Maxwell and contributing to partnerships of 47 and 33 with Aaron Finch and George Bailey. Later in the competition he scored 86 not out against South Africa.
Marsh made his Test match debut for Australia against Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates on 22 October 2014.

2015–20

Playing regularly in the One Day International side, Marsh took a five-wicket haul against England during the 2015 Cricket World Cup, and scored his maiden ODI century against India in 2016 at the SCG. He was, however, dropped from the Australian Test side after the first Test of the 2016–17 series against South Africa, coming back into the side during the 2017 series against India and playing in two Tests before he suffered an injury. Later in the year, he replaced Peter Handscomb in the third match of 2017–18 Ashes series, scoring his maiden Test century. His first innings score of 181 was one short of his brother Shaun's career best score of 182.
In March 2018, Marsh was fined 20 percent of his match fee and given one demerit point for using offensive language during the second Test between Australia and South Africa, after being dismissed by Kagiso Rabada. The following month, he was awarded a national contract by Cricket Australia for the 2018–19 season and was named as cover for Marcus Stoinis ahead of Australia's 2019 Cricket World Cup match against Pakistan in June 2019. The following month he was named in Australia's squad for the 2019 Ashes series in England, but was not selected for the first four Tests of the series. In the fifth and final match of the series, Marsh took his first five-wicket haul in Test cricket, taking 5/46 in the first innings, but ended on the losing side.
In October 2019, Marsh broke his bowling hand after punching a wall, following his dismissal, during a Sheffield Shield match against Tasmania. As a result, he was forced to miss the start of Australia's Test summer. In April 2020 he was again awarded a central contract ahead of the 2020–21 season and in July 2020 was named in a 26-man preliminary squad of players to begin training ahead of a possible tour to England following the COVID-19 pandemic. In August, Cricket Australia confirmed that the fixtures would be taking place, with Marsh included in the touring party.

2021-onwards

T20I and ODI tour of West Indies and Bangladesh 2021

In July 2021, with regular top-order bats David Warner and Steve Smith unavailable, Marsh was promoted to No.3 for the first time in T20Is, in the first Twenty20 International match of Australia's tour of the West Indies, Marsh scored his maiden T20I half-century, scoring 51 runs from 31 deliveries. He continued his good form, scoring another half-century in the following match and in the fourth T20I made 75 runs and took his career best T20I bowling figures of 3/24. Marsh was promoted to No.3 for the ODI matches, but less successful, only managing returns of 20 and 8 in the first two matches before he was demoted to no.4 in the 3rd game, scoring 29. A 5-match T20I series against Bangladesh followed, with Marsh batting No.3 again, he scored 45, 44, and scored and his fourth T20I half-century in the 3rd match with 51 runs. Batting No.4 in the fourth match, Marsh only scored 11 before being bowled. He was pushed back to 3 in the fifth game but scored 4, out lbw.

T20 World Cup in the UAE 2021

In August 2021, Marsh was named in Australia's squad for the 2021 ICC Men's T20 World Cup.
In October 2021, despite the return of Smith, Marsh retained the No.3 position for the first match of the World Cup against South Africa. Marsh only scored 11 before being caught. In the following match against Sri Lanka, Marsh was demoted down the order, not batting in a 7-wicket win for Australia. Marsh was dropped for Australia's third game, against England, replaced by Smith who only managed 1 run as England cruised to an 8-wicket run over Australia. Marsh's dropping drew criticism from Shane Warne, who said he would have Marsh at No.3 over Smith in T20Is. Marsh was recalled for the next match against Bangladesh, he scored 16 not out in an 8-wicket win for Australia. In the next game against the West Indies, Marsh scored another half-century with 53 runs. In the semi-final against Pakistan, Marsh scored 28 runs before he was out caught.
In November 2021, Marsh batting No.3 scored his sixth T20I half-century for the year, helping Australia win the 2021 ICC Men's T20 World Cup, scoring 77 runs in the final and earning player of the match.

Ashes in Australia 2021–22

In December 2021, Marsh was included in Australia's Test squad as back-up for the Fourth 2021–2022 Ashes Test after Travis Head withdrew due to COVID-19. Marsh didn't play.

Tour of Pakistan 2022

In February 2022, Marsh was named in Australia's Test, ODI and T20Is squads for a tour of Pakistan. Marsh remained outside of the Test team but injured his hip at training so was unavailable for the 3 ODIs and 1 T20I.

Tour of Sri Lanka 2022

In April 2022, Marsh was named to return from injury, included in Australia's Test, ODI and T20Is squads for a tour of Sri Lanka.
In June 2022, Marsh injured his calf in the 2nd T20I against Sri Lanka, ruling him out of the 3rd T20I and the first 2 ODIs. Marsh returned for the 3rd ODI match, batting No.3 in place of an injured Smith but only managed scores of 10, 26 and 24 in a 3–2 series loss. Marsh again didn't play any Tests.

Zimbabwe in Australia 2022

In August 2022, Steve Smith returned to the ODI side from injury moving Marsh back to No.6 for the 1st ODI against Zimbabwe in which Marsh only managed a score of 2 from 3 deliveries. Marsh then suffered an ankle injury after the 1st ODI against Zimbabwe forcing him out for the rest of the series and the following ODI series against New Zealand.

West Indies and England in Australia 2022

In September 2022, Marsh was named to return from injury for both the 2022 T20 World Cup and T20I tour of India. Marsh was later withdrawn from the Indian series as precaution. Marsh was named for the West Indies T20I series.
In October 2022, Marsh returned from injury in the 1st T20I against the West Indies but only scored 3 runs, out caught. Marsh didn't feature in the 2nd or 3rd T20I. Marsh was named for the England T20I series in which he played all 3 games with scores of 36, 45 and 0.