Declaration - Mitch Marsh | Grandstand | Sport | ABC Australia

Before the Aussie summer of cricket, ABC Grandstand sat down with Mitch Marsh to discuss his challenging road back to the Test arena.

His words now seem more pertinent than ever, as Glenn Maxwell and Nic Maddinson step away from the game to focus on their own battles with mental health.

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Transcript:

Most of Australia hate me.

You can read some of my Instagram comments and you might believe it too.

That comment was made a little bit tongue in cheek obviously.

People's opinions are divided over both Sean and I and we realise we've been given a lot of opportunities.

Social media these days gives everyone an opinion and a lot of people see more of it

so yeah, there's probably a fair bit of hate out there, but it's all good.

I love playing for Australia. I love wearing the baggy green cap

and I'll keep trying. Hopefully I'll win them over one day.

Five wickets for Mitchell Marsh.

Yeah, well how proud is he gonna feel?

The end of last summer felt like probably the lowest point in my career.

And I was extremely hungry to get back in Australian colours and wear my baggy green again.

Getting in the Ashes squad was the first step in that and then I just stayed ready the whole time

I was there for the opportunity and I knew that if it was going to come it would probably come later in the series

and to be able to get, you know, a maiden test five was an amazing feeling.

Unfortunately, the test match didn't go our way, but it was a little bit of a reward for a lot of hard work and hopefully I can stay in there now.

You spoke publicly about the start of a tough summer last year and the effect that had on you.

For people who are listening to you chat in their cars or on the radio around Australia, what advice would you give them? What helped you get through?

Tough question.

Well, nothing really prepares you for something like that, I guess.

It's a tough question, because I didn't handle it that well.

What I do know is that I came out a bit stronger.

And I appreciate everything in my life now. The little things

like playing for Australia, it's not little, but at times it can get away from you

and you get through it eventually.