The Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), led by Rishabh Pant, are already facing a setback before the IPL 2025 season even begins. Sanjiv Goenka’s RPSG group-owned team will kick off their IPL 2025 run against Delhi Capitals in Vishakhapatnam on March 24.
However, LSG will only have limited access to their star Australian all-rounder, Mitchell Marsh, for the IPL 2025 season. Marsh, who was bought for Rs 3.3 crore at last year’s IPL 2025 mega auction.
He was sidelined from Australia’s ODI tour of Sri Lanka and the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 on January 31 due to lower back pain and dysfunction, which pretty much ended his season. The issue was related to a disc problem he’s been dealing with since Australia’s tour of the UK in September 2024.
After seeing a back specialist in early February, Marsh rested to help him recover. He’s back to batting and has been cleared to play in the IPL 2025 for Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) as a batter-only. He’s expected to be a key Impact player at the top of the batting order for his new team.
Marsh will join LSG’s squad on March 18, reuniting with Justin Langer, his former coach from Australia, Western Australia, and Perth Scorchers, who’s entering his second season as LSG’s head coach.
The 33-year-old last played a competitive match for Perth Scorchers in the BBL on January 7 but missed their final two matches of the season. That was his only game since being dropped from Australia’s Test team before the fifth Test in the Border-Gavaskar series. Before the BBL, his last white-ball games were during Australia’s September T20I and ODI series in the UK.
After spending the last three IPL seasons with Delhi Capitals, Marsh has had trouble with injuries, including a hamstring issue that kept him out of IPL 2024 after just four games. He’s also played for Sunrisers Hyderabad, Rising Pune Supergiants, Pune Warriors, and Deccan Chargers.
Meanwhile, ESPNCricinfo reports that Australian teammates Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, and Josh Hazlewood are all set to play in the IPL 2025, even though they’re missing the Champions Trophy due to injuries.
Cummins, who had an ankle issue after the Border-Gavaskar series, said last month that he’s fully recovered and will captain Sunrisers Hyderabad again. Starc, who had an ankle problem during the two-Test series against Sri Lanka, is also fit for the IPL 2025!
He will join Delhi Capitals this season after being bought for Rs 11.75 crore at the auction. Starc played a big part in Kolkata Knight Riders’ title win in IPL 2024, even earning Player of the Match in the final.