Australia v India third Test: Shaun Marsh goes into bat for brother Mitch after poor Test with bat

Shaun Marsh admits younger brother Mitch is feeling flat after twin failures with the bat in the third Test while also expressing disappointment at those fans who booed the much-maligned all-rounder at the MCG.

Mitch Marsh is under fire after a poor shot led to his second innings dismissal.

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Shaun Marsh admits younger brother Mitch is feeling flat after twin failures with the bat in the third Test while also expressing disappointment at those fans who booed the much-maligned all-rounder at the MCG.

Sections of the crowd, unhappy with Mitch Marsh for taking Victorian Peter Handscomb’s place in Australia’s XI, booed the West Australian on day one of the Boxing Day Test.

Marsh brushed off the noise to do a fine job with the ball, keeping things tight as he offering Australia’s pacemen much-needed relief while delivering 26 overs in India’s first innings.

But the vice-captain was unable to produce the same form with the bat and was dismissed for nine and 10 by spinner Ravindra Jadeja.

Mitch Marsh is under fire after a poor shot led to his second innings dismissal.

Marsh’s dismissal on Saturday, an attempt at aggression gone awry, prompted stinging criticism from Simon Katich and no shortage of calls for selectors to swing the axe ahead of the SCG series decider.

“He’s pretty flat at the moment,” Shaun Marsh said.

“Obviously I feel for him. He’d be disappointed after today.

“But he’s obviously bowled really well in the first innings. He did a good job backing up our quicks.”

Shaun Marsh made the point that every member of the top six, including himself, is disappointed with their poor performance at the MCG.

Mitch Marsh is one of the most well-liked players in Australia’s dressing room but, along with Aaron Finch, looms as the player most likely to be dropped in coming days if selectors opt for change.

“I’m absolutely lost for words watching that,” Katich said of Mitch Marsh’s dismissal.

“He’s just squandered it again. He’ll probably be joining (Aaron) Finch on the sidelines in Sydney.” Katich, commentating on SEN, noted he would be “steaming” if he were national coach Justin Langer.

“It’s a good thing I’m up here and not down there, I’d be tearing strips off him (Mitch Marsh),” Katich said.

Asked about the boos on day one, Shaun Marsh replied he was “pretty disappointed”.

Simon Katich tore into Mitchell Marsh after his attempted big drive went wrong.

“But you can’t control that,” Marsh said.

“Mitch to his credit carried on and I thought he did a really good job after that happened.”

Handscomb, Travis Head and bowling coach David Saker have also criticised those supporters who booed Mitch Marsh.

Originally published as Australia v India third Test: Shaun Marsh goes into bat for brother Mitch after poor Test with bat