New Delhi, Feb 5 (IANS) Australia head into the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup as one of the teams to beat, with former players and experts highlighting their depth, leadership, and fearsome batting power as major strengths ahead of the tournament, and former West Indies cricketer Ian Bishop believes that the 2021 champions are ‘one of the most dangerous’ sides.
The defending champions, eyeing a second T20 World Cup title, will begin their campaign with a warm-up match against the Netherlands before facing Ireland in their opening group fixture in Colombo. Despite a sense of transition within the squad, confidence around the Australian setup remains high.
Former Australian cricketer Mel Jones shed light on the changing face of the team, acknowledging that new names may take time to resonate with fans but are part of a carefully planned evolution. “There is a transition. New names in the squad, like Ben Dwarshuis and Xavier Bartlett, are not yet household names, unlike stars like Steve Smith and David Warner. For fans, it feels sudden. Others, like Nathan Ellis, have waited a long time for this chance,” she said on JioHotstar.
Jones emphasised that many of these players have been preparing for this moment through experience in global franchise cricket. “These players have honed their skills in global franchise cricket, waiting for the senior players to shift. It is an exciting time as they get their moment to shine. Coach Andrew McDonald and captain Mitchell Marsh provide solid consistency. This is Australia’s strength. They rarely make chaotic, wholesale changes. They plan ahead and have players ready at the right time. Also, they know how to win big tournaments in India. Many players from past winning teams are in this T20 squad,” Mel added.
Leadership, particularly that of captain Mitchell Marsh, has been another major talking point. Former England captain Nasser Hussain highlighted Marsh’s personality and on-field impact as key factors behind Australia’s cohesion.
“You need a good captain. Mitchell Marsh is a good captain just by his personality. He is someone you warm up to. I think the whole cricketing world likes Mitchell Marsh. And when you like your captain, you want to play for him. I would want to play for Mitchell Marsh. He seems a very genuine person. If he says, ‘come on lads, let’s do this’, you would want to do it,” he said.
Hussain also pointed to Marsh’s all-round influence in the shortest format. “He leads by example. His form at the top of the order has been superb. In T20 cricket, you need a good captain, and he is that. You need a guy who provides explosive starts to your innings. Marsh provides that. You need a good finisher, and Tim David is there for that role. He has been brilliant at finishing innings in the last year. And you need a very fine spinner to get quick breakthroughs, especially in India, which is Adam Zampa. So with new players coming through, Australia still has that core spine of highly skilled players. Leadership has given Mitchell Marsh a new dimension. He is revelling in it, especially with his batting,” he added.
Perhaps the strongest warning for Australia’s rivals came from former West Indies fast bowler Ian Bishop, who described the side as genuinely intimidating due to their batting firepower.
“Australia are one of the most dangerous teams in modern cricket, and they scare me. They scare me with their batting. They have gone to an extreme where six-hitting is a big thing. When I saw them in the Caribbean, and with grounds in India being small, it is a big factor.”
Bishop went on to outline just how destructive Australia’s lineup can be when it clicks. “Tim David scored a century in 37 balls against the West Indies. Cameron Green has become mind-blowingly explosive in T20 cricket. Mitchell Marsh always does it. Josh Inglis can also play a versatile role at the top or down the order. So if their batting fires, I am very scared about what Australia can do to opposition teams. But by the same token, it can also implode if there is something in the pitch. Still, they are a scarier opposition,” he added.
–IANS
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