New Delhi: Mitchell Marsh will miss the remainder of the Delhi Capitals campaign due to a hamstring injury, but franchise head coach Ricky Ponting expects him to be fit in time for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024.
Marsh played four games for Delhi Capitals in this season, scoring 61 runs and picking one wicket for his team.
He picked up a hamstring injury early in April, and after missing a couple of matches for his franchise flew back home to Perth on April 14 to manage his recovery.
Marsh's fitness was a key concern for his franchise as well as Australia, with him expected to lead the side at the upcoming ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024.
Marsh has 1432 runs at an average of 34.09 and a strike rate of 135.34, with nine half-centuries to his name in T20Is. Additionally, he also has 17 wickets at an average of 22.76 for Australia in this format.
He was a key component in Australia's maiden Men's T20 World Cup win in 2021, scoring 185 runs at an average of 61.66 and a strike rate of 146.82, contributing with a match-winning 77 not out in
the final against New Zealand, an ICC report said.
Delhi Capitals head coach Ponting was quoted as saying by ESPNCricinfo that the all-rounder's recovery had taken longer than expected.
"I don't think he'll be coming back. There's a certain cut-off point with replacement players," Ponting said. "Cricket Australia were keen to have him at home to start his recovery process and we sent him back as soon as we could."
"They've been managing his rehab for a couple of weeks now. I spoke to him the other day and it seems it's taken a little longer than he first thought to get over it," he said.
Ponting further added that he expected Marsh to be fit in time for the global mega event.
"I don't think the T20 World Cup would be an issue," Ponting stressed.
Australia are in Group B of the T20 World Cup, along with England, Namibia, Oman and Scotland. They begin their campaign against Oman on June 6 in Bridgetown.