Mitchell Marsh unlikely to bowl in T20I series against England

Australia captain Mitchell Marsh has confirmed that he is unlikely to bowl in the upcoming three-match T20I series against England, citing the abundance of all-round options in the Australian squad. 

Marsh, who has been recovering from a hamstring tear sustained during the 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL), has not bowled since and also skipped bowling during Australia's T20 World Cup campaign earlier this year.

With seam-bowling all-rounders Cameron Green, Aaron Hardie, and Marcus Stoinis available, along with Travis Head and Cooper Connolly offering spin options, Marsh’s bowling may not be required. Speaking to reporters in Southampton, Marsh said, “I’m sort of just building. I don’t tend to bowl myself too much, is the honest answer, and we’re lucky that we’ve got plenty of bowling options within our team, so we’ll see how we go. My bowling’s on line: whether or not I bowl, we’ll wait and see. We’ve got heaps of options. I’m always building something.”

Australia will kick off the series against England in Southampton on Wednesday, fresh off a 3-0 series win against Scotland in Edinburgh. Reflecting on Australia’s disappointing early exit from the 2024 Men’s T20 World Cup, the Australian all-rounder acknowledged the team’s failure to perform at the crucial moments but is optimistic about building a strong team for the 2026 edition.

“It was just disappointment: we went there with the hope of winning it, like every other team did, and unfortunately, we didn’t play our best cricket at the right time. In tournament play, that’s what you rely on…there’s a lot of cricket to be played between now and the next World Cup (in 2026) but hopefully I’m there,” he concluded.

After the first T20I match which is scheduled to take place today, the series will move to Cardiff for the second match on September 13, with the final game on September 15 in Manchester.