Mitchell Marsh set to lead T20I team vs West Indies despite testing positive for Covid-19

Australia’s star cricketer Mitchell Marsh is set to lead Australia in their upcoming T20I series against the West Indies despite testing positive for COVID-19. Notably, Cricket Australia announced on Thursday that the great all-rounder will assume the captaincy duties remotely, with special arrangements in place to ensure the safety of all involved in the team.

In addition, the great all-rounder will be permitted to participate in the match at Hobart’s Bellerive Oval; however, strict protocols will be enforced. The 32-year-old cricketer will be allocated a separate dressing room and will be required to maintain a safe distance from his fellow players while on the field.

Meanwhile, despite his positive diagnosis, Mitchell Marsh’s leadership role remains intact, with confirmation that he will captain the team in the forthcoming three-match T20 series in New Zealand. Notably, this development solidifies his position as the likely captain for the highly anticipated T20 World Cup 2024, scheduled to take place on June 1 in the West Indies and the USA.

Australia aims to win the T20I series to boost preparation for the 2024 T20 World Cup

However, this decision comes in the wake of recent instances where other players, such as Josh Inglis and Cameron Green, continued to participate in international matches despite testing positive for COVID-19. Even Australia’s coach, Andrew McDonald, fell victim to the virus last month, underscoring the ongoing challenges faced by cricket teams amidst the pandemic.

Meanwhile, despite these setbacks, cricket authorities are committed to ensuring the smooth continuation of matches and implementing stringent health and safety measures to mitigate the risk of virus transmission within the cricketing community.

Here are the squads for Australia vs West Indies T20I series:

Australia’s Squad

Mitchell Marsh (c), Sean Abbott, Jason Behrendorff, Tim David, Nathan Ellis, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Glenn Maxwell, Matt Short, Marcus Stoinis, Matthew Wade, David Warner, Adam Zampa.

West Indies Squad

Rovman Powell (c), Shai Hope, Johnson Charles, Roston Chase, Jason Holder, Akeal Hosein, Alzarri Joseph, Brandon King, Kyle Mayers, Gudakesh Motie, Nicholas Pooran, Andre Russell, Sherfane Rutherford, Romario Shepherd, Oshane Thomas.