Star all-rounder Mitchell Marsh is not looking to "reinvent the wheel" and would rather continue what regular skipper Pat Cummins and coach Andrew McDonald have been doing when he captains Australia in the upcoming white-ball tour of South Africa.
The 31-year-old will be leading the Australian T20 and ODI side in the absence of Cummins, who is nursing a fractured wrist, in the white-ball series against the Proteas. "I probably won't try and reinvent the wheel at all.
I think the most important thing I've learned about leadership is staying true to yourself," Marsh told cricket.co.au. "Patty and Andrew McDonald have created an incredible environment around our group right now so hopefully I can continue that in the T20 format and create an environment where the guys come in and just enjoy playing cricket for Australia." Australia are without a T20 captain since former skipper Aaron Finch announced his retirement and the series against the Proteas is the perfect opportunity for Marsh to prove his mettle as a leader.
The pacer hopes Cummins can "lean" on him during the World Cup in India. "I think that's one of Pat's strengths, he leans on other people in the squad and other leaders in our team – he does an incredible job," Marsh said. "There's no doubt with his role as a bowler, playing every game in every format is near-on impossible so for him to have guys that he trusts, he leans on … we've got a great friendship first and foremost, and a great relationship professionally so I always know I can lean on him, and vice-versa." The likes of spinner Tanveer Sangha and left-arm quick Spencer Johnson have made it to the 18-man squad for the ODI leg in South Africa. "We've got an extended squad, we've got some young guys coming