'Extraordinary': Mitch Marsh reaps reward from '$3m sacrifice'
Details have emerged about the staggering amount of money allrounder Mitchell Marsh sacrificed to be part of Australia's successful Ashes campaign.
Aussie cricket fans have been heavily divided after Marsh was drafted back into Australia’s Ashes side at the expense of vice-captain Travis Head.
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The final Ashes Test is serving as the latest chapter in Marsh's stop-start career, but social media trolls are already outraged and he is yet to deliver or face a ball.
Adding further intrigue to Marsh's recall are reports of how much money he potentially gave up for the opportunity.
Cricket writer Robert Craddock says Marsh's decision to skip the Indian Premier League (IPL) auction to play English county cricket for Surrey, potentially cost the allrounder millions of dollars.
“Mitchell Marsh turned his back on about $3million of Indian Premier League money to make this (Test) squad,” Craddock told Fox Sports News.
“It’s basically a $3million sacrifice for one Test. Extraordinary really.”
Marsh - who pocketed $1 million playing for Pune in 2016 before the new billion-dollar IPL broadcast rights deal - said money wasn't his motivating factor.
“That’s the lure of the IPL, the money and playing in India, but I made my decision based on cricket,” Marsh previously said of his decision to focus on the longer form of the game.
“We’ve got a lot of cricket coming up in England over the next few years and I want to give myself the best opportunity … and get used to the conditions (in England in 2019.”
Peter Siddle, who played the first two Tests, has been recalled to the starting XI, with Mitchell Starc making way after just the one Test.
There were suggestions Pat Cummins or Josh Hazlewood would be rested but both quicks were named in the Aussie side for the fifth Test.
Coach Justin Langer and chairman of selectors Trevor Hohns wanted to ensure their fast bowlers weren’t worked into the ground in London.
Mitch Marsh gets shot at redemption
It means Marsh will don his baggy green for the first time since last year's Boxing Day Test.
He was appointed vice-captain prior to the home summer of 2018-19 but things then went from bad to worse in a period he dubbed "the most challenging eight months of my life".
The 27-year-old was axed from the Test side, suffered severe bleeding after a blow to the box at training, then was overlooked for the World Cup squad and lost his Cricket Australia contract.
"He got some pretty honest feedback when he was dropped," Tim Paine said.
"About where he was at both physically and with his cricket.
"He had a choice to make. Either to sulk about it or to do something about it ... Mitch at the moment is as fit as we've seen him. He's worked his backside off.
"Certainly when he's fitter, his bowling goes to another level. Obviously if you're a boy the size he is, it's hard to run in all day when you're carrying a few extra kilos."
Australia XI for fifth Test:
David Warner, Marcus Harris, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Matthew Wade, Mitch Marsh, Tim Paine (capt), Pat Cummins, Peter Siddle, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood.
with AAP