Rogers: Impossible to drop opener Marsh

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Former Australia opener Chris Rogers has backed Shaun Marsh to open the Test batting alongside David Warner in the upcoming home series, saying Marsh has the edge over Joe Burns.

The recent Test series in Sri Lanka, which the hosts won 3-0, was dire for the Aussies, but Marsh was excellent in the one Test he played, scoring a century. By contrast, Burns played two Tests and made only 34 runs.

Rogers told cricket.com.au: “I like Joe Burns and have a lot of time for him, but Shaun (Marsh), in his last two Test matches he’s got hundreds.

“To not get picked would be very difficult for him (Marsh), particularly with the Indian tour looming where you’d back him to be one of the first picked now.

“Maybe he’s going to be irresistible (to select), although I wouldn’t discount what Joe’s got to offer.

“He’s still has the ability to learn and get better and get away from those tours and think about where he went wrong.

“But perhaps maybe in this point in time Shaun might just edge it over Joe.”

He then reiterated his admiration of young Burns: “I think he’s got so much time ahead of him.

“It’s easy to get frustrated and down on yourself and question where you’re at but what he achieved last summer in particular was impressive.

“There’s no way he’d be going back to the end of the queue. He’s one of the next few in. There’s a lot of motivation for him.

“Sometimes you’ve just got to accept that players are allowed to play well and jump above you and that just makes you want to be a better player.”

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