Mitchell Marsh has been ruled out of Australia’s squad for the first ODI against India at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) after spending two days in hospital with the stomach illness gastritis.
Ashton Turner, the Western Australia and Perth Scorchers batsman, has been called up as cover after showing impressive form in the ongoing Big Bash League (BBL|08) with Australia coach Justin Langer lauding his running between the wickets and finishing skills.
“I remember when Mike Hussey came into Australian cricket, the thing that almost got him a shot in the one-day side was his running between his wickets,” Langer said.
“That might sound like the dumbest thing you’ve ever heard but you watch Ashton Turner, the way he runs between wickets is unbelievable.
“He’s such a great athlete, it puts so much pressure (on the opposition). One of the hallmarks of great Australian teams, you think about Dean Jones and Michael Bevan and Michael Hussey, is the running between (wickets). It’s a basic (skill) but we’ve also been talking about getting players who can finish off innings and he’s shown that in what we can go off in Big Bash cricket, he’s in great form.”
Turner has previously played three T20Is against Sri Lanka in 2017 and has hit a timely run in the BBL|08 with scores of 60 not out, 47 and 43 not out in his last three innings.
“He can finish the innings off well, an elite athlete in the field and he’s also a captain,” Langer said. “You see the way he finishes off an innings that he’s a good thinker of the game like most of the great finishes and a really good leader, good person around the group. Very excited to see him come in.”
Australia’s squad for first ODI:
Aaron Finch (c), Jason Behrendorff, Alex Carey (wk), Peter Handscomb, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Ashton Turner, Shaun Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Jhye Richardson, Peter Siddle, Billy Stanlake, Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa.
