Mitchell Marsh cleared to play as 'batter only' for LSG
What's the story
Australian T20 skipper Mitchell Marsh has been cleared to play in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025.
This is despite his recent woes with a lower back injury that led him to withdraw from a few international events.
The 33-year-old batter will play for Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in this season's IPL.
He returns after missing the Sri Lanka ODI tour and Champions Trophy due to lower back pain and dysfunction.
Here's more.
Rehabilitation
Marsh's back injury and recovery process
Marsh's injury, which kept him out of the Sri Lanka ODI tour and Champions Trophy, was believed to be a disk-related issue.
It had been a recurring problem since September 2024, during the England limited-overs tour.
In early February, he visited a back specialist and took rest in a bid to recover from his condition.
Comeback
Marsh's return to batting and IPL participation
After weeks of rehabilitation, Marsh has resumed batting and is now cleared for IPL participation as a batter only.
He is expected to play an important role as a top-order batter for his new franchise.
The Australian cricketer was bought by LSG at last year's IPL Auction for ₹3.4 crore.
He will join the squad on March 18, reuniting with Justin Langer, now in his second season as LSG coach.
Numbers
The all-rounder's 2024 and overall IPL numbers
In 2024, Marsh played just four games for the Delhi Capitals before he picked up a hamstring injury.
In those matches, he managed 63 runs at 15.25 while striking at 160.53.
With the ball, he bagged one wicket but was expensive, giving away 103 runs in 48 balls.
Overall, he owns 666 runs across 42 matches at 19.59 (SR: 127.83). He also owns three fifties.
With the ball, he has bagged 37 scalps at 21.49 alongside two four-wicket hauls.
Participation
Other Australian players expected to participate in IPL
Several Australian cricketers who missed the Champions Trophy are expected to be fit for the IPL.
Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, and Josh Hazlewood are all set to play this season.
Cummins confirmed his readiness, stating his ankle is strong after recovering from injury following the Border-Gavaskar series.