T20 World Cup 2024: When Will Mitchell Marsh Resume Bowling For Australia?

Australia skipper Mitchell Marsh is set to resume bowling very soon, according to the team head coach Andrew McDonald. Marsh has not bowled a ball since his hamstring injury in IPL 2024.

The all-rounder Marsh, who featured for the Delhi Capitals in the IPL earlier this year, suffered a hamstring injury and missed the majority of the T20 tournament in India. While he flew back home to continue his recovery, Marsh was picked in the T20 World Cup squad as the skipper.

In the two matches of the show-piece tournament and the warm up matches, Australia have been cautious with how they manage Marsh as the all-rounder has only played a batter's role in the side.

The 2021 champions have not needed an extra bowler as cover so far in the T20 World Cup 2024 as the current bowling unit have played a crucial role in the team's wins over Oman and England.

While they restricted England to 165/6 in the defence of 201, Australia defended 164 against Oman by restricting them to 125/9. However, an additional bowler in the 11 will come as a huge boost for one of the favourites of the tournament. So, when will Marsh resume bowling?

Will Mitchell Marsh resume bowling for Australia in the T20 World Cup 2024?

Head coach McDonald said that the management is very hopeful that Australia skipper Mitchell Marsh will bowl in the upcoming matches of the mega event.

"Very hopeful that he will be back ready to bowl in matches. I'd say the likelihood of that against Namibia, is very slim, potentially increasing into Scotland and then I think you should have a clear run at the Super 8s and be able to bowl there," McDonald said in the pre-match press conference.

"The assumption there is that we qualify and as I said, Namibia first thing and then we can start to work out what it looks like for the Super 8s and beyond."

In 25 T20I innings, Marsh has claimed 17 wickets at an economy rate of 7.74. Overall, he has claimed 85 wickets in 109 innings in T20 cricket at an economy rate of 8.44.

McDonald also said that bowling is the strength of their team, and lauded pacer Pat Cummins, spinner Adam Zampa and all-rounder Marcus Stoinis for their impressive bowling performance against England.

"I think over time our bowling has been a strength. I think the way they operate together, they know each other's games, they are really clear on the planning going in.

"I thought Josh Hazelwood bowling a difficult end always stands up. Pat Cummins, his evolution as a T20 player, the more games that he plays is really impressive and Adam Zampa, arguably one of our best white-ball bowlers ever across ODI cricket and T20 cricket.

"Shows up when we need him to with key breakthroughs, so impressive. So yeah, we feel as though we have got options, which is the nice thing. And Marcus Stoinis, I thought was very impressive," McDonald added.