Aussies reveal XI for second India Test after Michael Clarke's shock call on Mitch Marsh

Before Pat Cummins confirmed on Thursday that Mitch Marsh was fit to bowl in the second cricket Test against India, Michael Clarke made the shock call that he shouldn't play as a batter only. But surely the better option would be to drop Nathan McSweeney in that instance?

As brutal as it would be to a kid who's only played one Test match, selectors have made McSweeney expendable by picking him out of position as an opener. Reports emerged in recent days that Marsh might not be able to bowl in Adelaide due to a number of injury niggles, and the all-rounder hadn't sent down any overs in the nets during training sessions this week.

But Cummins revealed on Thursday that Marsh will be available to bowl in the day-night Test starting on Friday, with Scott Boland the only change to Australia's XI to replace the injured Josh Hazlewood. Marsh has taken on more of a bowling workload due to Cameron Green's injury, and sent down 17 overs in the first Test in Perth. But if he couldn't bowl in Adelaide there would have been a need to bring in another all-rounder, and Beau Webster is that man.

But Clarke stated on Wednesday night that Marsh shouldn't be in the team at all if he can't bowl. "He shouldn't play as a batter only," Clarke said on ESPN show 'Around the Wicket'. "I think he's been picked as an all-rounder and I think Mitch needs to be bowling. If he's just batting I don't think they should pick him for his Test."

Nathan McSweeney should be dropped before Mitch Marsh

But what Clarke failed to remember is Marsh and Green were both in the same XI for the tour of New Zealand in February, in which Green was the predominant all-rounder and Marsh was mainly a specialist batter. Marsh was one of the only batters to score any runs of note in the first Test in Perth, and is surely among the top six batters in the country.

Marsh's inability to bowl would have created the need to bring in Webster, as without Webster the fourth seam bowler would be Marnus Labuschagne - and nobody wants that scenario. So if Marsh and Webster both had to play, the only other option was to drop McSweeney.

Because selectors have picked McSweeney out of his normal position to open the batting, it wouldn't be a stretch to promote someone else to the top of the order. Steve Smith did it last summer against the West Indies and in New Zealand (for some admittedly underwhelming results), while Labuschagne is also an option to move up one spot.

Marsh and Travis Head could both capably open and would seemingly mimic the aggressive play that David Warner made famous. Head has been reluctant to open the batting at Test level even though he does it in white-ball cricket and had some success in the third Test in India in 2023 after Warner went home with a fractured jaw.

RELATED:

• Marnus Labuschagne sparks massive injury scare for Steve Smith

• Forgotten Test player's telling move in bid to win baggy green back

The fact McSweeney isn't a specialist opener anyway makes him expendable, although it might've also crossed selectors' minds to drop Labuschagne. The No.3 batter is in a horrible form slump, although he'll be given at least one more chance.

The fact Marsh is available to bowl eliminates the need to make a call on who might be dropped. But by placing McSweeney in the unfamiliar opening position, they've brought these kind of discussions upon themselves.

Australia's XI for second Test against India:

1. Usman Khawaja

2. Nathan McSweeney

3. Marnus Labuschagne

4. Steve Smith

5. Travis Head

6. Mitch Marsh

7. Alex Carey (wk)

8. Pat Cummins (c)

9. Mitchell Starc

10. Nathan Lyon

11. Scott Boland