It remains a live option that Marsh plays as a specialist batter in the second Test. Cummins and Andrew McDonald have been consistent in saying that the primary reason Marsh has been in the side is that he is among the best six Test batters in the country.
Prior to late 2020, the balance of four frontline bowlers and a few make-up overs was common, but for the majority of Cummins’ time as captain, he has had that extra option and before the season began, he talked up the significance of both Marsh and Green. “Ideally he [Marsh] will be able to bowl in each Test match,” Cummins had said after the Perth Test.
“It’s quite a big reaction externally for one Test loss. Internally, we don’t feel that. We didn’t play the way we would have liked to have played, but we know over four, five Test matches, [if] we keep rocking up and playing our style at cricket we will have the success”
Alex Carey
Australia were overwhelmed in Perth with the top order blown away in both innings – Nathan McSweeney, Usman Khawaja, Steven Smith and Labuschagne made 44 runs between them. But on the fourth day, Marsh, Carey and Head gave a glimpse of what they could do when the ball gets a little bit older. Getting India’s bowlers into their third and fourth spells without too much damage done is Australia’s big challenge.
“I feel like for myself, Trav, Mitch, we play differently to those top four, and we try to go out there with strong intent, whereas the top four can bat all day – and have done it before – and really grind teams into the ground,” Carey said. “I think that’s the style, as you know, [for] the middle order but there’s opportunities as well to absorb the pressure if it comes our way.”
On balance, Carey felt the longer gap between the first two Tests had probably been a good thing for Australia to allow the players some time away after the defeat. But it has also meant for extensive analysis of what was a loss of rare magnitude on home soil and Carey indicated some surprise at the fallout from the result.
“It’s quite a big reaction externally for one Test loss,” he said. “Internally, we don’t feel that. We didn’t play the way we would have liked to have played, but we know over four, five Test matches, [if] we keep rocking up and playing our style at cricket we will have the success. We’ve had that success to call upon [and] the method does work. We’re calm internally and we’re excited to get back out and play and play a better style of cricket.”
Elsewhere during Australia’s session, Labuschagne had another extensive net as he searches for form, while Smith took a blow on the fingers when Labuschagne was giving him throwdowns and was checked by the team doctor but was soon able to resume batting.
There is currently an increasing risk of showers and thunderstorms hitting the opening day of the Adelaide Test but the remainder of the game should be fine.
