NEW DELHI: Australiaโs Mitchell Marsh has been ruled out of the upcoming ICC Menโs Champions Trophy due to a recurring back injury. Marsh, who has had a challenging season, will now undergo an extended period of rest and rehabilitation to recover.
Marshโs tough year started with a poor performance in the Test series against India, where he scored only 73 runs in seven innings, leading to his exclusion from the SCG Test match in favor of Beau Webster.
Additionally, his role as a bowler in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy was limited. Despite this, he played a single BBL game on January 7 before missing the final three matches to rest and prepare for the Champions Trophy.
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However, his ongoing back issues have now forced selectors to make the difficult decision to rule him out of the prestigious tournament.
A statement from Cricket Australia confirmed that Marshโs lower back pain had flared in recent weeks, prompting the National Selection Panel (NSP) to extend his rehabilitation period.
The news of Marshโs injury raises concerns about his participation in the Indian Premier League (IPL) with Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), who had acquired him for โน3.4 crore at the last mega auction.
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With his Champions Trophy hopes dashed, Marshโs IPL stint with LSG remains uncertain as his recovery takes priority.
Selectors now have until February 12 to announce a replacement for Marsh in the Champions Trophy squad, leaving fans and team management awaiting further developments.
His absence from both the Champions Trophy and IPL could be a significant blow to the teamโs plans in both formats.
