Mitchell Marsh stands by World Cup trophy photo, suggests likelihood of repeating controversial pose

Australian all-rounder, captured with feet on World Cup trophy, asserts willingness to repeat amid T20I scheduling discontent.

Mitchell Marsh, who faced backlash from Indian fans for resting his feet on the World Cup trophy, clarified that he had no intention of showing disrespect. Following Australia's World Cup victory against India, a photo surfaced of Marsh with his feet on the trophy, sparking criticism from fans and even drawing comments from Indian pacer Mohammed Shami. Despite calls for a ban on Marsh playing cricket in India, he addressed the incident on the SEN Radio network in Australia, stating that he hadn't meant any disrespect.

When asked if he would repeat the action, Marsh responded affirmatively, explaining that the photo was not intended to be disrespectful. He expressed that he hadn't dwelled on the matter and hadn't paid much attention to social media reactions. While Marsh has returned to Australia, some teammates are still in India for the five-match T20I series. Marsh acknowledged that the series disrupted their celebrations, emphasizing the delicate balance between representing Australia and acknowledging the human side of the players who had just won a World Cup.

Marsh mentioned the challenges faced by players like Steve Smith, Adam Zampa, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Josh Inglis, and Sean Abbott, who had to remain in India for the initial T20I matches before flying home. He voiced his hope that future series wouldn't be scheduled immediately after major tournaments, allowing players more time to celebrate their achievements and spend time with their families. Marsh shared that he celebrated on behalf of the six players who had to stay behind in India.