Bailey refuses to lock Marsh in as World Cup skipper, but says he’s ‘confident’ the West Australian will lead the side

Chair of selectors George Bailey has refused to lock Mitchell Marsh in as Australia’s captain for the T20 World Cup until he works with head coach Andrew McDonald for the first time, but says he is ‘confident’ the pair will gel.

DURBAN, SOUTH AFRICA – SEPTEMBER 01: Mitchell Marsh of Australia during the 2nd KFC T20 International match between South Africa and Australia at Hollywoodbets Kingsmead Stadium on September 01, 2023 in Durban, South Africa (Photo by Sydney Seshibedi/Gallo Images/Getty Images)

Mitch Marsh is edging closer to leading Australia at June’s Twenty20 World Cup, but national selection chair George Bailey stopped short of locking it in.

The West Australian was on Wednesday named captain of the 14-man Australian squad for next month’s three-match T20 series against the West Indies.

Quicks Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins along with batter Steve Smith are all being rested for the Windies T20s but have been earmarked to return for the subsequent T20 series in New Zealand.

They are the only six T20 internationals Australia plays before June’s World Cup in the Caribbean and the US.

Marsh led Australia to a clean sweep of a T20 series in South Africa last year and is in the box seat to keep the role for the World Cup.

However coach Andrew McDonald missed that series against the Proteas and is also due for a rest during the Windies matches, with Daniel Vettori filling in.

It means Marsh and McDonald will have to wait until the series against the Black Caps to work in a captain-coach capacity, leaving Bailey to keep the door ajar to implementing a different skipper for the World Cup.

Mitchell Marsh of Australia during the series against South Africa. Picture: Sydney Seshibedi/Gallo Images/Getty Images.

“We’ll make a decision about that post the New Zealand series but one thing we are conscious of, Mitch hasn’t had a chance to work yet with Andrew McDonald as coach,” Bailey said.

“Andrew was there for part of the South African series and may be around but in a non-official capacity for some of the Australian T20 ones as well, but New Zealand will be the time when Andrew jumps back in so a good chance to see how those two work together.

“We’re confident that’ll work but we just haven’t seen it yet. That’s the way it’s tracking, Mitch will obviously get the opportunity here and likely to get the opportunity in New Zealand as well.”

While there was no specialist second spinner included in the squad, Bailey said it was likely that one would be picked for the World Cup.

Bailey said that Ashton Agar and Tanveer Sangha would be better served for the time being playing domestic cricket rather than sitting on the bench for the national side.

Originally published as Bailey refuses to lock Marsh in as World Cup skipper, but says he’s ‘confident’ the West Australian will lead the side