Rest is the sole focus for a weary Australian World Cup-winning trio and their coach after they made a triumphant return to home soil following a taxing campaign of months on the road that netted the ultimate reward.
Mitch Marsh, Alex Carey and Cameron Green landed in Melbourne along with coach Andrew McDonald on Wednesday morning, while captain Pat Cummins landed in Sydney and Marnus Labuschagne in Brisbane.
Nearly half the World Cup-winning squad remained in India for a five-match T20 series starting on Friday, adding to their stretched workload.
But road weary and on the back of two days of celebrations, Marsh said it would be a “miracle” if Travis Head, man of the match in the final and the party, turned out in the opening game.
Marsh said the extraordinary World Cup final defeat of India was yet to fully wash over him, but he would take time to soak it in with very little cricket planned before the start Test summer against Pakistan on December 14.
The West Australian all-rounder will not play in the final Sheffield Shield game before the season breaks for the BBL, while it’s expected Green will also skip the November 28 fixture against Queensland in Brisbane to remain at home.
Marsh, the T20 captain, has travelled home before the start of Australia’s five-match series against India beginning on Thursday, but the scheduling would have made it almost physically impossible for him to play after pushing his body through 16 of Australia’s last 18 one-day matches.
One of those matches he missed was to fly home to Perth following the death of his grandfather Ross, which also exacted a big toll.
“It’s been a crazy 48 hours, but it’s nice to be back on home soil,” Marsh said.
“Tools down for a while, get home, see the family, relax, and then try and get ready for a big summer.”
Marsh said he was unsure when the group would be able to come together in Australia to celebrate the triumph, but he said the festivities were still going in the Australian camp a day out from the opening T20 game.
“They’re still going in India, so I’m looking forward to seeing what pans out over the next few days,” he said.
“(Travis Head) is definitely in the votes … I’m not sure he’ll be playing that game (on Thursday).
“I’m no selector or coach, but if he plays that game it will be a miracle.”
Marsh said it was special to have his dad Geoff in the rooms after the World Cup final, 36 years after the opener played a huge role in Australia’s only other tournament win on Indian soil.
“I think it was 40 years ago Dad won in India, and to follow in his footsteps was pretty crazy,” Marsh said.
“To have him there and celebrate winning a World Cup, he’s a past player so we always love having those guys in the changerooms, it was awesome.”