All-rounder Mitchell Marsh is set to miss the opening Test against Pakistan after fracturing his right hand punching a wall, with Australian coach Justin Langer branding him "an idiot".
The Western Australia captain took his frustrations out in the changing rooms after he was dismissed for 53 in a Sheffield Shield match against Tasmania on Sunday.
Scans revealed a fracture, and an apologetic Marsh said he faced up to six weeks on the sidelines.
A succinct response from Justin Langer after Mitchell Marsh punched a wall and broke his right hand ?https://t.co/2cDwUYzWVN pic.twitter.com/uaef7qHP7A
— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) October 15, 2019
That would almost certainly rule him out of the opening Test against Pakistan in Brisbane starting on November 21.
"It's my middle finger, just below the wrist -- a fracture straight through the bone," Marsh, who was sporting a cast on his arm, told reporters.
Asked if he had spoken to Langer, Marsh replied: "He just told me I'm an idiot basically."
Marsh had only been recalled to the Test side for the final game of the Ashes against England last month after a long period out of favour and there are no guarantees he will win a spot back.
”As for the message from Australia coach Justin Langer? He just told me I'm an idiot basically. He was disappointed for me,”
— Circle of Cricket (@circleofcricket) October 16, 2019
Mitchell Marsh reveals Justin Langer's reaction after he learnt about his self-inflicted injury.https://t.co/cV5ixuGpRr
"It's a good lesson for me. Hopefully it's a good lesson for other people as well," added Marsh, whose blunder could open the door for Marcus Stoinis in Brisbane.
"At the end of the day, it's a game of cricket. Sometimes you get beaten, sometimes you get out, and you can't be punching walls."
