Marsh could bat at No.4 in all formats

Mitchell Marsh's match-winning performance in Barbados this week could be the innings that transforms his career, according to his state and national coach Justin Langer, who also believes the allrounder is capable of batting as high as No.4 in Test cricket.

Marsh showed maturity and composure in posting an unbeaten 79 in Australia's successful pursuit of 283 against the West Indies on Wednesday (AEST), a do-or-die clash that earned them a place in the ODI tri-series final.

The 24-year-old has long been touted as a potential star of the Australian side and after some lean years with the bat, Langer says his performance under pressure at Kensington Oval has given his charge the belief that he can live up to the hype.

"That was one of the innings of his career," Langer said.

"For him to be there at the end was a great achievement for him and a huge confidence booster going forward for him.

"And (it's) a huge confidence booster for the Australian cricket team having a player like him not only having potential and having talent, but also having performances.

"It's easy in life to say 'just go out there and back yourself and just be confident'. But until you've done it and it's in your blood and it becomes part of you ... and you've got to earn to right to have that.

"Every time you have a great innings for Australia, that just gets you closer to feeling like you're really a part of it and you really belong.

"There's been a lot of great players who have had that one big innings and it's changed their career. I know the feeling, that's for sure."

It's been a watershed six months with the bat for Marsh, who celebrated his maiden international century in a one-day match against India in January and just two weeks later posted a polished 69 not out in a successful run chase against New Zealand in Wellington.

His innings in Barbados came with the added responsibility of batting at No.5 in the order, a promotion coming following the axing of Glenn Maxwell in St Kitts.

And Langer is in no doubt a breakthrough innings in Test cricket is just around the corner as well.

Marsh has tested selectors' patience since permanently taking over as Australia's premier Test allrounder from Shane Watson during the Ashes last year, scoring just 175 runs at an average of 14.58 since then.

Speaking to cricket.com.au in Brisbane before this Qantas Tour of the West Indies, Marsh said he was desperate to repay the selectors with a big score on the upcoming Test tour of Sri Lanka.

Not only does Langer believe Marsh can thrive in the Test arena with the bat, he has no concern about his ability to handle to pressure of batting higher in the order.

"Not for me. I think he can easily become a four of five in all formats of the game," the coach said.

"I think he's that talented and with a bit of confidence and a bit more experience, there's absolutely zero concern for me that he wouldn't be able to do the job up the order for Australia.

"(A big score in Test cricket is) just around the corner, I've got no doubt.

"He could easily be a four, five, six, possibly higher than that, and I think that's what he'll be aspiring to do and he's certainly got the ability to do that.

"With maturity I think he could easily do that in all formats."

In the more immediate future, Marsh is focusing on making another match-winning contribution in the tri-series final, where Australia will play either South Africa or the West Indies on Monday morning (AEST).

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Boosted by an average of 56.57 from 13 ODIs in 2016 and just eight runs short of 1000 in his career, Marsh also wants to make the No.5 position his own just like Maxwell had done during Australia's World Cup win last year.

"I think it's a great position for me to bat in one-day cricket,” he said on Wednesday.

"It gives me a lot of time to get into my innings and obviously the more balls I face the easier it becomes at the end of an innings. Hopefully I can just keep contributing to this team."