17 March,2023 09:25 AM IST | Mumbai | Subodh Mayure
Mitchell Marsh
After Australia's 1-2 loss to Rohit Sharma & Co in the Border-Gavaskar Test series, the visitors' star all-rounder Mitchell Marsh made it clear that they are here to win the three-match ODI series starting at the Wankhede Stadium today.
"I think it is really important for us to focus on winning this series. Anytime we play for Australia it is important to have that mindset, as every team would be doing now over the next six months or so, building towards the World Cup [to be held in India in October-November this year]. We might just play a few different line-ups, experimenting with a few guys. But the mindset is to come here and win the series," Marsh said at the pre-match press conference on Thursday.
The visitors have something to look back on when they enter the Wankhede again on Friday. An Aaron Finch-led [who scored 110 not out] Australian outfit outclassed Virat Kohli's Indian team by 10 wickets when they played at the venue. David Warner, who smashed a 112-ball unbeaten 128 in that January 14, 2020 ODI, has returned to the city after recovering from his elbow injury, which occurred during the recent Test series.
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Marsh, 31, reckoned the ODI series will see high-scoring games with bowling all-rounders playing key roles. The Aussies have two such players - Marcus Stoinis and Cameron Green - in their ranks. Marsh said: "We have seen England batting till No. 8 and No. 9. It gives you the depth to chase big totals. Hopefully, this series is going to see a lot of runs scored, looking forward to the World Cup, the way cricket is played in the white-ball format. You have to chase big scores or make big scores. The more flexibility you have in your batting order⦠[the better]."
Marsh, who has 54 ODI wickets in 69 matches, revealed that he won't be bowling in this series due to his recent ankle surgery.