I think Shaun Marsh’s time is done, you’ve got to move on: Brad Haddin

Ahead of the marquee four-match Test series between India and Australia, starting from December 17 in Adelaide with a day-night Test, Australia looks in trouble as they are yet to decide their opening combination. Australia is suffering from an injury crisis at the top of the order and thus it is expected that the veteran left-hander Shaun Marsh can get a nod to make a comeback in the purest format of the game after almost two years.

Australia’s regular opening batsman David Warner suffered a groin injury while playing the white-ball format and has been ruled out of the first Test against India. Similarly, Will Pucovski, who was in contention for opening the innings, suffered a concussion while featuring in the first practice game against India A and will not be available for selection in the first game.

As the talks of Marsh making a comeback in Whites for Australia are doing rounds, veteran wicketkeeper-batsman Brad Haddin asserted that Shaun is not a perfect candidate as it’s time that Australia looks for someone beyond him. Though Haddin agreed to the fact that Marsh had a good run in the Sheffield Shield Trophy, Brad doesn’t want him to be there in the Australian set-up any more as he is already 37.

Justin Langer indicates towards Shaun Marsh opening innings for Australia

”I think Shaun Marsh’s time is done, The theatre around it sounds great. He has started the Sheffield Shield season in fine form, he’s played really well tonight but he’s 37 years of age. You’ve got to move on. Everyone wants him to play again for Australia because he is such a good person but I think we’ve got to look at someone else,” Brad Haddin said while speaking on Fox Cricket.

Notably, Shaun was dropped from the Australian side in the purest format of the game after Australia registered a historic loss against India by 2-1 in the Border Gavaskar Trophy in 2018-19 on Australian soil. The Southpaw was seen struggling with his form in the last Indian tour as he managed to score only 183 runs in four games at an average of 36.14.

While Haddin doesn’t want Shaun to be there in the Australian Test team anymore due to his age, a few days back Australia’s head coach Justin Langer had indicated Shaun Marsh could be in the mix to open the innings against India by saying that one should never discriminate on the basis of age.

”You never discriminate against age. He’s doing everything possible. His numbers in Sheffield Shield cricket — not only this year but the back end of last year — were absolutely elite.” Justin Langer had said.