Marsh waits on injury verdict for Test role

SHAUN Marsh will arrive home later this week for further scans on his shoulder to determine whether he will be fit to help the depleted Test batting line-up against Pakistan in October.

The 35-year-old has been ruled out of the rest of the English county season by Glamorgan after he hurt his shoulder while trying to stop a boundary in a T20 clash in Cardiff on Monday.

Initial scans revealed he suffered ligament damage and disruption in his acromioclavicular (AC) joint, which is not enough to require surgery and could leave him with enough time to recover for the Test series in October.

But in keeping with Cricket Australia’s medical policy, Marsh will have more scans when he arrives home after which a recovery process will be decided.

Dates for the two Tests against Pakistan in the UAE are yet to be locked in as the Pakistan Cricket Board tries to secure venues.

It will take place some time in October, however, and Marsh looms as a key part of a team that will be without suspended batsmen Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft. At least two batting spots could be up for grabs in the Test team, with Matthew Renshaw likely to fill one of the opening spots vacated by Warner and Bancroft.

Marsh could even be a choice to open with Renshaw, leaving two spots in the middle order to fill.

Langer said the Test team for the Pakistan series would be picked straight after an Australia A tour of India, with two four-day games to be played in September.

Incumbent Test No.3 Usman Khawaja, who made three county centuries for Glamorgan when he filled in for Marsh last month, will play in the Australia A team, along with Test hopefuls Peter Handscomb and Travis Head.