Marsh offers pace relief in Adelaide heat

Allrounder Mitchell Marsh has asked for the "graveyard shift" with the ball this summer as Australia look to nurse their precious pace assets through another busy Test campaign.

Marsh is set to return to the No.6 spot for the first Domain Test against India, starting in Adelaide on Thursday, with the Western Australian's ability to offer bowling support making him a more favourable option than a frontline batsman like Peter Handscomb.

Former Test quick Geoff Lawson this week said there was "no way" he'd pick Marsh in the XI for the first Test, while former Test opener Simon Katich suggested the potency of Australia's bowling attack could lead selectors to consider leaving Marsh out in favour of a specialist batsman to bolster an already weakened top six.

It was in Adelaide six years ago that Australia learnt a painful lesson about the perils of picking just four frontline bowlers in their side; an injury to James Pattinson in the first innings against South Africa left the hosts short of options as they attempted – unsuccessfully – to secure victory against a Proteas side inspired by debutant Faf du Plessis.

And with temperatures forecast to touch 37 degrees during the Test, the Australians would be reluctant to overburden their star quicks so early in the summer as they aim to get through four Tests in just four weeks against the world's top-ranked team.

Having overcome a serious ankle injury earlier this year, Marsh says he wants to do more with the ball than just provide relief for the frontline quicks.

"My goal this summer is to start really chipping in with the ball and get some more wickets for the team," he said on Tuesday.

"I love coming on in the graveyard shift after 70 or 80 overs when the ball's doing nothing and trying to sneak a wicket.

"I really want to take my bowling to the next level in this team."

Speaking on Monday, star quick Josh Hazlewood said it would be no easy task for he, Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins to play all four Tests against India, even with Marsh in the side to offer support. 

"Four (Tests) in a month is tough going," he said. "It all depends how much you bowl during the games.

"Maybe Adelaide and Perth will have the most in the wickets out of the four tracks. If you get a light innings here or there, it pays dividends later in the summer."

After a breakthrough Ashes campaign last season, Marsh's spot in the Test side came under fresh scrutiny in October when managed just 30 runs in four innings as Australia wilted in the desert heat against Pakistan.

He responded with an innings of 151 for WA in the JLT Sheffield Shield, but has not passed 50 in four innings since.

It led Katich to question if the newly-appointed joint vice-captain was a certain selection for the first Test given Australia's potent quicks may not need the support of a fifth bowler, particularly in the opening two Tests of the series where conditions are expected to be favourable.

"With them both (Travis Head and Handscomb) in the squad, there's a chance they could both play," Katich told SEN

"(Marsh) did a bit of bowling, but this Australian team at the moment (has) a strong attack 

"If he's not going to bowl many overs, his place will come under question as well."

No stranger to criticism, Marsh said he is determined to prove his worth in the side like he did against England 12 months ago.

"After the UAE, there's no doubt that there were a few question marks about me," he said.

"But I'm really pumped if I'm selected to get out there in front of Australian crowds again. It's a great time of year and I'm feeling good.

"I'm doing my best to make the No.6 position my own in this team and that's all I can do."

Domain Test Series v India

Dec 6-10: First Test, Adelaide Oval

Dec 14-18: Second Test, Perth Stadium

Dec 26-30: Third Test, MCG

Jan 3-7: Fourth Test, SCG

Australia squad: Tim Paine (c, wk), Josh Hazlewood (vc), Mitch Marsh (vc), Pat Cummins, Aaron Finch, Peter Handscomb, Marcus Harris, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Shaun Marsh, Peter Siddle, Mitchell Starc, Chris Tremain

India squad: Virat Kohli (c), Murali Vijay, KL Rahul, Prithvi Shaw, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Hanuma Vihari, Rohit Sharma, Rishabh Pant (wk), Parthiv Patel (wk), Ravi Ashwin, Ravi Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar