Would love Rohit, Virat to have a great outing in Australia: Mitchell Marsh

Marsh also talked about the pitch conditions, saying, "Perth is historically a bowler-friendly wicket, and both teams would love to take early advantage with their pacers early in the match."

The stage is all set for the first ODI of the three-match series between Australia and India in Perth on Sunday. India will be looking to secure their second-ever Down Under ODI series win against Australia, while the hosts will aim to keep their home dominance over the men in blue alive. Australian skipper Mitchell Marsh on Saturday addressed the media in the pre-match press conference, where he talked about the team's composition and batting order. Marsh also discussed Rohit and Virat possibly having their last outing in Australia and wished the Indian batting stalwarts a great outing on Aussie soil. 

 

Everyone wants to see Rohit and Kohli bat

Upon being asked about his thoughts on Rohit and Virat possibly having their last Australian tour, Mitchell Marsh said that both Rohit and Virat are legends of cricket, especially Virat when it comes to white-ball cricket. Marsh said that the ticket sales for the first ODI prove that everyone is eager to see the two players bat, irrespective of who the hosts are. Marsh went on to say that if this is the last time Rohit and Virat are visiting Australia as part of the Indian squad, he would love them to have a great outing as batters, as they deserve every bit of respect they get.

Wicket conditions of Perth

Marsh also talked about the pitch conditions for the first ODI, saying, "Perth is historically a bowler-friendly wicket, and both teams would love to take early advantage with their pacers early in the match.” However, Marsh also believes that if teams play carefully in the initial stages of the innings, the match can be a high-scoring one.

 

Moreover, Marsh also said that the hosts are not tempted to play four pacers, despite the wicket providing assistance to the pacers.

Playing composition

Talking about team composition, Marsh said that they might have one or two debuts lined up for the match, but the final call will be revealed at the time of the toss. He also talked about Maxwell’s batting position, saying that the all-rounder will be playing at the number 3 spot, despite opening in recent domestic cricket. Marsh said that there is little to no difference between opening and batting at number three, and he believes everyone will play their role quite nicely.