Australia coach Andrew McDonald expressed optimism on Tuesday about the fitness of Mitchell Starc ahead of the decisive fifth Test against India while also backing underperforming all-rounder Mitch Marsh. After Australia’s remarkable 184-run victory on day five of the fourth Test in Melbourne, the team faces a quick turnaround with the New Year’s Test in Sydney starting Friday.
Australia leads the series 2-1 and is on the brink of reclaiming the Border-Gavaskar Trophy for the first time since 2014-15. A win or draw in Sydney would not only secure the trophy but also confirm Australia’s spot in the World Test Championship final against South Africa at Lord’s in June. Starc, Australia’s pace spearhead, bowled 41 overs in Melbourne but appeared to struggle in the later stages, reportedly due to sore ribs. McDonald said the team would monitor his condition closely before finalizing the lineup.
“We’ll see how the bodies are. Starcy’s clearly carrying something, but we’ll assess it,” Andrew McDonald stated. “The quick turnaround makes recovery crucial. We’ll decide the Sydney team based on the conditions, as always.”
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McDonald added that Starc’s ability to bowl through the discomfort in Melbourne was encouraging. “It didn’t stop him. Early in his spells, there was some discomfort, but once he got warm, he looked pretty free. His ball speeds were good.”
Jhye Richardson and Sean Abbott are in the squad as backup pacers, while Pat Cummins and Scott Boland are likely to play. Meanwhile, all-rounder Mitch Marsh faces scrutiny after a lacklustre series.
Despite managing only 16 wicketless overs and minimal runs, McDonald dismissed concerns about Marsh’s fitness. “There’s been over-analysis about his back. He’s fine. He’d like better performances, no doubt, but there are no injury concerns.”
Beau Webster is an option to replace Marsh, while India grapples with its own challenges, particularly Rohit Sharma’s form. The 37-year-old Indian captain has struggled, failing to cross double digits in any of his five innings in Australia after a dismal 3-0 series loss to New Zealand earlier this season. The pressure mounts on both teams as the decisive Test looms large.
