Is Marsh’s Test career over? Star all-rounder set to retire from first-class cricket

Mitch Marsh has likely played his last first-class match for Western Australia, leaving his Test future in limbo.

This masthead can reveal the 34-year-old informed WA teammates of his intention to step away from red-ball cricket for his state following their Sheffield Shield match against Victoria on Sunday.

While Marsh has indicated he will retire at the end of the Shield season, it is unlikely he will feature again for WA in first-class cricket.

Marsh has played nine Shield matches for WA since 2019.

“It has been an honour to play Sheffield Shield cricket for WA,” Marsh said in a statement released on Monday evening.

“Right now I am deeply committed to the group and the Scorchers. WA cricket has been a huge part of my life and I plan to give back in any way possible long into the future.”

Marsh, who had been discussed by selectors as a potential Ashes option, made scores of nine and four in the match in Melbourne. Despite that, Marsh, who made his debut for his state against NSW in 2009, is understood to have told teammates he has not closed the door completely on playing Test cricket if selectors approach him.

How that would work given he would not be an active Shield player remains unclear, although Marsh is Australia’s incumbent T20 and ODI captain and is a star in the white-ball game.

Marsh, who has had a long list of injuries during his career, is resigned to the fact he may not play another Test.

Selectors could theoretically pick Marsh for a Test without any recent first-class cricket, but such a move would be highly unusual. There are no more Sheffield Shield matches this year and Marsh will be involved with Australia’s T20 side for the World Cup when the domestic first-class competition resumes next year.

“We would be comfortable picking someone, and if you want to put a name to it, Mitch Marsh, out of white-ball cricket if we felt like that was going to benefit the Test team,” Australia coach Andrew McDonald said in October.

“He’s the captain of the white-ball team. It’s very hard for him to vacate and balance out Test preparation, if he was to be in the window for that.

“We still haven’t given up on Mitch Marsh’s Test career.”

Marsh has played 46 Tests for Australia since 2014, with the last coming against India in Melbourne in 2024. He was dropped for Beau Webster for the Sydney Test earlier this year.

Marsh has scored 2083 Test runs at 28.53 and taken 51 wickets at 40.41.

His Test highlight remains a stirring 118 at Headingley during the 2023 Ashes after returning to the national set-up.

Australia do not play another Test after this summer’s Ashes until they host Bangladesh in August.