'Move on': Aussie cricket icon's brutal call on Shaun Marsh
The hot run of form showed by Shaun Marsh has once again led to talk of a possible call-up to Australia's Test cricket side.
Australia is facing somewhat of a top oder batting crisis, with opening candidates David Warner (injury) and Will Pucovski (concussion) ruled out of the first Test and incumbent Joe Burns desperately out of form.
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With the four-match Test series against India set to get underway in Adelaide on Thursday, Marsh's name has again been thrown in the mix as a candidate to open the batting, following his recent run of form in the Sheffield Shield and Big Bash.
Marsh's classy 62 runs (from 47 balls) helped guide the Melbourne Renegades to a big win over the Perth Scorchers on Saturday night.
However, the West Australian's former teammate in the Aussie Test side, Brad Haddin, says selectors need to look towards the future, rather than turning back to the 37-year-old.
“I think Shaun Marsh’s time is done,” Haddin said on Fox Cricket.
“The theatre around it sounds great. He has started the Sheffield Shield season in fine form, he’s played really well tonight but he’s 37 years of age.
“You’ve got to move on. Everyone wants him to play again for Australia because he is such a good person but I think we’ve got to look at someone else.”
Test great Brett Lee agreed with Haddin's sentiment, insisting that Marsh's career could have been so much more if it weren't for injuries.
“The hardest thing for me is when he is on he is so good to watch,” Lee said.
“He has had his opportunities, he has had his chances. It’s probably been injury that has let him down rather than form.”
Australia coach Justin Langer confirmed this week that the older Marsh brother was in contention for a Test recall.
Burns’ form a concern for Australia
Regardless of what happens, selectors have a touch decision on their hands considering how out-of-form Burns has been in domestic cricket and for Australia A this summer.
Burns has tallied 61 runs from eight first-class knocks this season, putting him in danger of being axed for the first Test.
The incumbent Test opener will have one final innings, on day three of the tour game between Australia A and India in Sydney, to show chairman of selectors Trevor Hohns he has turned the corner.
India reached 4-386 at stumps on Saturday night, opting against a declaration despite the fact they boasted a 472-run lead.
It meant that Burns and Marcus Harris, who has been added to the Test squad, avoided a short burst from Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami in bowler-friendly conditions.
"They're probably pretty relieved they didn't get stuck under lights there," Australia A coach and former Test opener Chris Rogers said.
"That would have been a challenging little period.
"I know as an opening batsman I definitely would not have liked to be out there batting tonight."
Rogers sympathised with Burns.
"You can get to this point where you're just putting so much pressure on yourself," Rogers said.
"You think you're doing everything you can and it just doesn't seem to be going your way.
"There is some pressure on him, no doubt. He's not stupid.
"A lot of the time it's just about letting go ... there's probably a lot of noise in their heads at the moment but the best thing they can do is just go out and worry about the next ball."
Rogers, who coaches Harris at Victoria, suggested the opener's technique is in a good place but "there's more to go with his batting".
"It's never the finished article but he seems to be playing quite well, and transferring his weight better," Rogers said.
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