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Marsh secures flight home from IPL

Injured allrounder flying back to Perth from the UAE and could feature for WA in early Sheffield Shield rounds

Mitch Marsh's nightmare scenario of being stuck in limbo in a Dubai hotel room has been averted after the allrounder secured a flight home to Australia.

Marsh was ruled out of the Indian Premier League after suffering an ankle injury in Sunrisers Hyderabad's tournament opener on Monday and faced the prospect of being forced to remain in the UAE given the current difficulties of arranging international travel at short notice.

But a Cricket Australia spokesperson confirmed the Sunrisers had secured a flight for Marsh back to Perth that arrives Saturday evening. He will begin a 14-day quarantine period on arrival.

It will be a considerable relief for national selectors ahead of India's upcoming tour.

Marsh injured, Warner unlucky in Sunrisers' defeat

The other Australian players in the IPL are not due to fly home until after the final on November 10 and will likely be required to quarantine for two weeks on return.

Should Marsh recover from his ankle injury in time, he could return to captain Western Australia for some part of the early Sheffield Shield rounds, which CA confirmed this week will be played entirely in Adelaide from October 10.

The 28-year-old's departure marks an abrupt end of his maiden stint with the David Warner-captained Sunrisers, who purchased him for $408,000 at the player auction.

Marsh had bowled just two balls for his new franchise when he turned his ankle attempting to stop a ball in his follow through.

He later bravely came back out to bat at No.10 but went out first ball and was forced to limp off the field with the assistance of the Sunrisers physio for a second time during their defeat to Royal Challengers Bangalore.

Marsh has re-established himself in Australia's limited-overs sides this year, while he remains on the fringes of the Test team having taken a five-wicket haul in his most recent appearance in the Baggy Green for the final match of last year's Ashes.

He broke his hand in his only Sheffield Shield game last season during a "moment of madness" when he punched a wall in frustration, before missing the second half of the competition following his recall to Australia's white-ball teams.

 

Australia's Test top six looks largely settled and coach Justin Langer has flagged minimal changes to the side following their successful series victories over Pakistan and New Zealand last summer.

Only 12 players were used across the five Tests, with James Pattinson replacing the injured Josh Hazlewood for the Boxing Day and New Year's matches.

But selectors have previously called on Marsh when a fifth bowler has been required, particularly in more batter-friendly conditions, and the 32-Test veteran appears to be front of the queue in terms of seam-bowling allrounders, ahead of fellow Western Australians Marcus Stoinis and Cameron Green.