Perth Scorchers captain Mitch Marsh is in a race against time to be fit for the start of Australia’s home summer after being ruled out of the entire IPL series due to injury.
The 28-year-old is the competition’s first casualty, after he hurt his right ankle in Hyderabad’s season-opener on Monday night.
Marsh bowled just two balls before succumbing to the injury during his bowling follow-through.
The early blow creates enormous complications, with doubt over Marsh’s ability to return home due to travel arrangements that restricts cricketers from flying commercially.
Should he seek permission to return from Dubai early, he may face a 14-day hotel quarantine period, unless Cricket Australia can source an exemption from the WA government.
Australia’s next international commitment is all-but confirmed to be three One Day Internationals and three Twenty20s against India in late November, giving the allrounder two months to recover.
It is not yet known the type or severity of injury he sustained to the area, with yesterday’s scans evidentially providing an undesired result.
“Mitchell Marsh has been ruled out due to injury,” the Sunrisers said in a brief statement.
“We wish him a speedy recovery. Jason Holder will replace him for IPL 2020.”
Playing against compatriots Aaron Finch and Josh Philippe, Marsh bravely came out as his side’s last batsman when they needed 10 runs for victory.
He was dismissed first ball and visibly struggled to weight-bear.
The injury is a significant blow with Marsh an incumbent in Australia’s limited overs teams.
He impressed in Australia’s tour of England earlier this month, with a gutsy 126-run partnership between himself (73) and Glenn Maxwell (77) pulling Australia out of deep trouble in the opening ODI.
More to come.
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