Shaun Marsh

Shaun Marsh first grabbed headlines in the 2008 Indian T20 League, where he scored over 600 runs at an astonishing average of 68.44 and was named “Batsman of the Series”. He has been playing for Mohali since the beginning of the league and has been a consistent performer for the team.

The left-hander made his first-class debut for Western Australia in 2000 and scored his maiden hundred against New South Wales in 2004-05. His exploits in the ‘Big Bash’ earned him a contract with the Punjab in the inaugural IPL, where his ability to pick the length of the delivery early and play in the ‘V’ earned him five fifties and a century. In 2011, he was signed by the Perth Scorchers for the inaugural Big Bash League.

The Australian selectors immediately handed him his T20 and ODI debut against the West Indies and he went on to score a fine 81 in the latter. He also had a good 2009 South African tour with a maiden ODI century against the Indians the same year. Marsh had to wait for long for his Test debut, but he soon got one in 2011 against Sri Lanka. It was not less than a dream debut for him as he announced himself by striking a blazing 141, with father Geoff Marsh watching him from the stands.

Following the retirements of batting greats Adam Gilchrist and Matthew Hayden, Marsh is one of the players who have come to the fore. Opportunities came knocking on the door on several occasions for Shaun Marsh. More often than not, he spilled most of them and was replaced by more consistent batsmen. His most recent comeback was quite memorable though as he stroked his way to a vital century against the Proteas during Australia’s successful tour to the rainbow nation in early 2014.