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Mitchell Marsh’s continued spot in the Australian Test side has been all but solidified after he was revealed as a surprise vice captain for the Australian Test team today.
With Steve Smith and David Warner’s suspension still in effect, the national selection panel and Cricket Australia board today revealed the appointment of Marsh and injured bowler Josh Hazlewood as joint vice captains to Tim Paine for the upcoming Test series against Pakistan.
National selector Trevor Hohns congratulated the duo on their appointment in a press release, paying tribute to Hazlewood’s calmness and communication, as well as Marsh’s humility.
“Josh and Mitch display great leadership qualities, and we were extremely impressed by their passion and energy to help guide Australian cricket into this exciting new era.
“Our vision is to create great cricketers and great people, and we are extremely fortunate to have such terrific young men charged with [the] responsibility of upholding the high standards and values we and Australian cricket fans expect of their Test team,” he added.
Hohns did stress, however, the process that saw Hazelwood and Marsh selected was “not a process designed to find the next Australian Test Captain”.
On the decision to appoint two vice captains, Hohns said the decision was made due to the “demands of modern cricket”.
“We believe the new leadership model will best support the captain. It is a successful model used across various sporting codes around the world, and we see it benefiting the group not just from a tactical perspective but also to help drive the team’s values and standards on and off the field.
“We also feel the new model provides great balance. There is strong and even representation of both the batting and bowling groups, which is important when making decisions which are in the best interest of the team,” he said.
Hazlewood, 27, made his Test debut in 2014 against India at The Gabba, but had been around the ODI squad for four years prior. He’s taken 151 wickets in his 40 Tests – at a smart average of 26.84 – and has taken five or more wickets in an innings six times. His best performance, statistically, came in 2017, where he took 6/67 in a blistering performance at Bengaluru.
Marsh, 26, also made his Test debut in 2014, earning his baggy green against Pakistani in Dubai. The occasionally maligned all-rounder has been in and out of the Test side, averaging just under 28 with the bat and taking 33 wickets across 28 Tests. He was, however, a third Test hero in the last Ashes series, with his unbeaten 181 in Perth helping Australia wrap up a series win.
The first Test against Pakistan in the UAE will begin at 5pm (AEST) on Sunday, October 7.