Mitchell Marsh’s Test career appears to be hanging by a thread, after his latest failure continued a nightmare series and left Australia in major trouble at the MCG.
The reigning Allan Border Medallist’s dismissal for a duck, edging Jasprit Bumrah behind, was his sixth single-digit score in seven innings this series, leaving him with an average of just 10.43.
Nominally an all-rounder, injury concerns have seen him barely bowl since picking up three wickets in the first Test.
With another all-rounder in Beau Webster in the Test squad and coming off the back of an outstanding last few Sheffield Shield summers with bat and ball for Tasmania, calls for Marsh to once again face the axe have grown louder than ever.
However, fellow Western Australian and former coach Justin Langer is one of the few to remain in the Marsh camp, saying on Seven that he would back the 33-year old in for the crucial fifth Test at the SCG.
“Yes, I would pick him in Sydney,” Langer said.
“He said when he won last year’s AB Medal, his words were ‘I’m a bit fat and I like a beer’. That’s how I want to see him play cricket – with a smile on his face.
“I don’t like the chopping and changing of Test teams. In that instance, it will be another change to the Test team.
“I don’t think it will be a positive one. I think he should play in Sydney.
“If I was Pat Cummins, his mate and his captain, [or] if I was the head coach or the selectors I’d be saying ‘Mitch, it’s a big game for us. Get in with your mates. Play with that carefree attitude and show us what you’ve got’.”
‘Don’t like that’: Sharma slammed for reaction to young gun’s drop
Only one thing was going wrong for India in the field as they surged back into the Boxing Day Test – Yashasvi Jaiswal’s fielding.
As Jasprit Bumrah ripped through Australia’s middle order to leave the hosts 6/91 and in danger of losing a Test they have controlled from the outset, the carnage could have been even worse but for the Indian young gun’s horrendously timed case of butter fingers.
The Aussies should have been 7/99 and with only the tail left when Marnus Labuschagne, on 46, inexplicably guided Akash Deep straight to Jaiswal at third slip – only for the ball to go straight in and out of his hands.
Jaiswal had earlier shelled Usman Khawaja at leg gully on just 2.
Over at first slip, captain Rohit Sharma turned his back on Jaiswal and shook his fist in anger; which, according to Fox Cricket’s Michael Hussey, was a poor reaction.
“I don’t like that reaction,” Hussey said.
“I appreciate he’s emotional and he desperately wants wickets, but you’re the one that has to send the message of calm and support.
“No one means to drop a catch – he’s [Jaiswal] going to feel bad enough as it is for putting a catch down, particularly someone like Marnus Labuschagne.
“You don’t need to see that as a young player.”
Jaiswal’s torrid afternoon got even worse in the final over tea, failing to get hands to a tough low chance at silly point off Pat Cummins that prompted another yell of frustration from Sharma.
According to Fox Cricket, wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant had told Jaiswal just seconds before to ‘stay low’ in the position.
Bumrah’s savage Konstas clapback as prediction comes true
Revenge is a dish best served cold – just ask Jasprit Bumrah.
Having been savaged for his Test-worst opening spell figures on Boxing Day by Australian debutant Sam Konstas, with his first six overs costing 38 runs amid a flurry of reverse ramps and audacious batting, Bumrah’s response at the beginning of Australia’s second innings was emphatic.
In just his fourth over, the masterful quick sneaked through a gap between bat and pad to bowl Konstas neck and crop for just 8, a dismissal familiar to those who have watched the 19-year old’s batting for Australia A and NSW in the Sheffield Shield to begin his fledgling career.
And having watched Konstas repeatedly rev up the crowd during the first three days of the Test, including after hitting Bumrah for a boundary on Day 1 and immediately after Virat Kohli’s third-day dismissal, Bumrah couldn’t resist the chance to reply in kind, waving his arms in identical fashion to the youngster as India celebrated the early wicket.
“Sam Konstas got the better of Jasprit Bumrah in the first innings, and Jasprit Bumrah’s just equalised,” commentator Isa Guha said on Fox Cricket.
“Just saying to the kid, ‘I can get the crowd going too!’”
Bumrah’s early blow vindicated his confidence in bowling to Konstas despite the Day 1 onslaught, with the 31-year old telling Seven before play on Day 3 that he had simply been unlucky to not take his wicket.
“I always felt that I was in the game, I never felt that I was far away from a wicket.
“Initially, I felt that I could get him out 6-7 times in the first two overs,” he said.
“But you know, that’s how cricket goes. Some days it pays off, it looks good, and some days it does not.
“I love different challenges and I am always looking forward to it.”
Bumrah’s dominant series reached new heights after lunch, removing Travis Head (1) and Mitchell Marsh (0) in a single over, then castling Alex Carey for 2 to leave Australia 6/91, leading by just 196.
Head’s scalp, caught at mid-wicket flicking off his pads, was Bumrah’s 200th in Tests, becoming the first man to reach the milestone with a bowling average of below 20.
Aussie blow as back-up batter injured sub fielding
Josh Inglis has been ruled out of Australia’s squad for the fifth Test against India, having suffered a calf strain while sub fielding on Day 2 at the MCG.
Inglis’ explosive start to the Sheffield Shield season saw him named to the squad at the start of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series, with the Western Australian wicketkeeper close to a Boxing Day debut, either at the top of the order instead of Sam Konstas or as an injury replacement for Travis Head.
However, the 29-year old’s hopes of a maiden baggy green have been put on hold, though Cricket Australia are confident the calf strain is only minor.
He is also set to miss several Big Bash League matches for the Perth Scorchers, with his season reportedly in doubt.
All-rounder Beau Webster, who was released from the squad to play for the Melbourne Stars in their BBL loss to the Sydney Thunder on Saturday night, has returned to Melbourne in Inglis’ stead.
Josh Inglis has been ruled out of Australia’s Test squad for the rest of the summer. (Photo by Daniel Kalisz/Getty Images)
‘Had a mare’: Third ump slammed over lightning-fast call that bewildered Cummins
Confusion reigned early on Day 4 at the MCG, when an umpire check for a potential catch at slip off the bat of Indian tailender Mohammed Siraj quickly sparked controversy.
Australia believed Siraj had edged to Steve Smith off the bowling of Pat Cummins, though officiating umpires Michael Gough and Joel Wilson seemed to suggest they thought it had been a bump ball.
Regardless, third umpire Sharfuddoula’s check left plenty to be desired, using just one camera angle before rapidly concluding that Siraj was not out, despite inconclusive at best evidence.
“I can see the ball bounce after hitting the bat – satisfied,” Sharfuddoula said, the review lasting barely 30 seconds.
Former greats Mark Waugh, Ravi Shastri and Adam Gilchrist were left baffled in the Fox Cricket commentary box, saying the call was at least tight enough to merit a ‘bit more interrogation’.
“Tell you what – I think that needed a bit more reviewing. That was very, very tight either way,” Waugh said.
“And very quick decision. They’ve seen it at least a couple of times,” Shastri added.
“What I am looking at is the shadow – when it just hits the bat, there’s a shadow there.”
Out in the middle, the Australians were just as confused, with Cummins unsuccessfully attempting to review the not out verdict a second time via the DRS.
“I’ve never seen this,” Gilchrist said.
“So Pat’s saying, you as umpires took it upstairs on your own behalf – now I would like to review that decision.”
However, Cummins wasn’t permitted to review the decision.
While it was unlikely subsequent angles would have provided enough evidence to deem Siraj out, Sarfuddoula’s decision-making was quickly slammed on social media.
Fortunately, the bizarre incident wouldn’t cost Australia a single run, with Nitish Kumar Reddy holing out off Nathan Lyon for 114 just three balls later, with no addition to India’s score.
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