Synopsis
Mitchell Marsh, Australia’s T20I captain, has been cleared for IPL 2025 with Lucknow Super Giants, limited to batting due to a back injury. He will join the squad on March 18 after missing the Champions Trophy.Key Takeaways
- Mitchell Marsh returns from a back injury.
- He is set to play for Lucknow Super Giants in IPL 2025.
- Marsh was bought for Rs 3.40 crore.
- He reunites with coach Justin Langer.
- Other Australian players are expected to be fit for IPL.
New Delhi, March 13 (NationPress) Australia's T20I captain Mitchell Marsh has received clearance to participate in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season for his new team, Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), in a batting-only capacity. Although he missed the Champions Trophy due to a back injury, he is scheduled to travel early next week.
Marsh was sidelined from the ODI tour of Sri Lanka and the Champions Trophy as of January 31 due to "lower back pain and dysfunction", which concluded his domestic season. This issue, associated with a disc problem he has managed since Australia's limited-overs tour of the UK in September 2024, required him to undergo rest and specialist treatment in early February.
Having returned to batting in recent weeks, Marsh has now been cleared for the IPL, where he is anticipated to be an impact player at the top of the order for LSG. He was acquired for Rs 3.40 crore at the IPL auction last November and will join the squad on March 18, reuniting with former Australia coach Justin Langer, who is in his second season as LSG’s head coach.
Marsh has not played since January 7, when he participated in a BBL match for the Perth Scorchers before missing the remainder of the season. His last white-ball matches occurred during Australia’s T20I and ODI tour of the UK in September.
Over the last three IPL seasons, he played for Delhi Capitals but faced challenges with injuries, including a hamstring issue last year that limited him to just four matches. He has previously played for Sunrisers Hyderabad, Rising Pune Supergiants, Pune Warriors, and Deccan Chargers.
Meanwhile, Marsh’s Australia teammates Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, and Josh Hazlewood—who also missed the Champions Trophy due to injuries—are expected to be fit for the IPL.
Cummins, who experienced an ankle flare-up after the Border-Gavaskar series, is set to lead Sunrisers Hyderabad again. Starc, who sustained an ankle niggle during the Sri Lanka Test series, will join Delhi Capitals this season after being purchased for Rs 11.75 crore at the auction. Hazlewood, who attracted the highest price of any Australian at Rs 13.50 crore, will play for Royal Challengers Bengaluru after missing last season due to side and calf injuries.
All of Australia’s other IPL-bound players have prioritized the tournament over the Sheffield Shield, despite five states still competing for a place in the final. Unlike last year, when Matthew Wade opted to play for Tasmania in the Shield final and missed the start of Gujarat Titans’ IPL campaign, South Australian players Travis Head (Sunrisers), Jake Fraser-McGurk (Capitals), and Spencer Johnson (KKR) will head to India even though SA has already qualified for the Shield final, starting on March 26.
Additionally, Xavier Bartlett, Josh Inglis, and Aaron Hardie will join Punjab Kings under head coach Ricky Ponting, skipping the final Shield round and the potential final for their respective states.
