I’ll be home for a little bit and then I’m coming back to win this World Cup.” This message which Australian all-rounder Mitchell Marsh sent to teammates before flying home to Western Australia, where his grandfather Ross was spending the last few days of his life, was more than just a promise. It was a pledge. After his 24 against Afghanistan on his return to the squad, he smashed a stunning century (177 in 132 balls, 17x4, 9x6) against Bangladesh.

It was a big call to leave the team and return home albeit for only a game (v England at Ahmedabad on November 4) but it showed how much his grandfather meant to him. “My pop [grandfather] was a great man and a huge cricket supporter,” Marsh told the media after his grand show at Pune, a city he represented in three Indian Premier League seasons.