Opener Jake Weatherald has been dropped from Australia’s squad for the second Test against Bangladesh in Mackay. Matt Renshaw has been called up in his place. Australia lost the first Test in Darwin to Bangladesh by nine wickets. This is the only change Australia has made to the squad for the second and final Test in Mackay.
Weatherald was dismissed for 23 and 0 in Australia’s two innings at the Darwin Test. Former Australian players had questioned his place in the side ever since. Across six matches last season, including the Ashes, he averaged 20.38 with 224 runs. His batting technique showed some changes during the Darwin Test against Bangladesh, changes he had made while playing county cricket, but Weatherald was unable to settle in either innings against Bangladesh.
A two-line statement from Cricket Australia confirmed Weatherald’s exclusion. Australia’s 13-man squad for both Tests was announced before the series began.
Before deciding on the squad for the second Test following the loss in Darwin, Australia coach Andrew McDonald referred to the changes in Weatherald’s batting technique: “There have been some changes to Jake’s body position and movement patterns. It’s always difficult to judge or criticize based on a small sample of performances, or how sustainable that will prove to be.”
Weatherald, 31, came under a Cricket Australia central contract earlier this year, ahead of the Bangladesh series. Before this series, the opener had expressed his wish to play both Tests: “There’s a good opportunity ahead to play two matches and score runs. I need to make the most of it across four innings. If I can’t, I’ll have to leave my fate in someone else’s hands.”
Renshaw is waiting to play his first Test since 2023. He was on standby for this series after training with the squad in Brisbane. In the last Sheffield Shield season, he averaged 49.90 with three centuries, and made an impression when given a chance in Australia’s limited-overs side.
Renshaw, 30, has a Test batting average of 29.31. His highest score in the format is 184, against Pakistan in 2017. He has two first-class centuries at the Great Barrier Reef in Mackay, the venue for the second Test in the current series.
With this change, Australia has now used a total of seven openers since David Warner’s retirement in early 2024. That count excludes Usman Khawaja, who retired from international cricket this past January and had been a settled member of the Australian side.
Australia squad for second Test
Travis Head, Matt Renshaw, Marnus Labuschagne, Steven Smith, Cameron Green, Alex Carey, Beau Webster, Pat Cummins (captain), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood, Josh Inglis and Scott Boland.
Travis Head has been playing as opener since his success in the last Ashes series, when he was moved to open after Khawaja’s injury in the Perth Test. Australia has used Steven Smith, Nathan McSweeney, Sam Konstas, Marnus Labuschagne, and Weatherald as openers.
The second and final Test begins this Saturday. Bangladesh lead the two-match series 1-0.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report