Mitchell Marsh weighs in on captaincy: 'Won't try and reinvent the wheel at all'

Mitchell Marsh 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

Star all-rounder Mitchell Marsh revealed he is not up to 'reinventing 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.

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"We've got an extended squad, we've got some young guys coming in which is really exciting, seeing guys like Spencer Johnson, he'll definitely get a crack," Marsh said. "We haven't seen much of him, have we? He's had a few injuries throughout his career and he's sort of burst onto the scene last year," Marsh said of 27-year-old Johnson, who picked up 16 Sheffield Shield wickets in just three games for South Australia last season. "He burst onto the scene (in the Big Bash) last year and I was commentating a game and he was bowling 150km/h and swinging it both ways. He's an incredible talent. I faced him in the ODI final at the WACA and was blown away by his pace and skill. I think he's going to feel right at home in international cricket." Marsh is confident that 21-year-old Sangha will be playing for Australia in the future.

"Tanveer's had a few injury problems the last six months but we know what a superb talent he is. There's no doubt we are going to see them in Australian colours over the next few years and we'll get a look at them in South Africa. "Think he is a very smart young bowler. From what I've heard he's a very good cricketer, just bowls and bowls. A super talent. "What we've seen in the Big Bash and first-class cricket so far, some kids you know will just be very good bowlers. And he's one of those. Can't wait to see him get his chance."

(With agency inputs)

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