Jake Weatherald believes maturing as a player and a cricketer has helped put him on the cusp of a Test debut he feared may never come.
The aggressive left-hander has been picked in Australia’s 15-man squad for the first Ashes Test in Perth following a stunning career revival in Tasmania.
Darwin-raised Weatherald’s first-class career started brightly in South Australia, before a form slump and mental health challenges ended in him being dropped from the Sheffield Shield team.
But having smashed 1,391 runs at 53.5 from his past 15 first-class games since his move to Tasmania, the 31-year-old is a chance to open the batting for Australia this summer.
Jake Weatherald’s route to the Test squad a path less trodden
“Playing for Australia’s the hardest thing to do in Australian sport,” Weatherald said in Hobart on Friday.
“It was always a goal that felt maybe a little bit out of reach at times.
“But at the same time, I probably got comfortable with myself to know that if I did the right things, at the right time, and I took my opportunities, then I’d be ready to go.
“It is a pinch-yourself moment.
“As a kid in Australia, you grow up wanting to play professional sport; representing Australia in cricket is the highest honour, and something that I’ve aspired to my whole career.”
Jake Weatherald has scored more Sheffield Sheild runs than anyone in the last 18 months. (Getty Images: Steve Bell)
If selectors decide to go with Weatherald, he will partner with Usman Khawaja at the top.
The 84-Test veteran raised eyebrows last week when he firmly backed in his Queensland teammate Matt Renshaw to earn an Australian recall.
But Weatherald laughed off the snub, with Khawaja now fully behind the newest member of the Australian squad.
“He didn’t have me in four days ago,” Weatherald joked when asked about Khawaja now backing him to play.
“You get the backing of someone like that who’s played so much first-class cricket, so much Test cricket.
“He’s made so many hundreds for Australia and is such a respected cricketer within our community.
“I’d be really excited to partner up with him at some point.”
Weatherald’s hopes of getting into the XI could hinge on all-rounder Cameron Green being able to bowl enough overs in the next Shield game for Western Australia.
Cameron Green will need to prove his bowling fitness in WA’s next Sheffield Shield game next week. (Getty Images: Hagen Hopkins)
Marnus Labuschagne will almost certainly be back after finding form following his axing for the three Tests in the West Indies.
Green batted at number three in the Caribbean, but could shuffle down to number six to accommodate Labuschagne, as well as Weatherald as an opener, if he is able to justify his position as a genuine all-rounder.
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But Labuschagne opening, as he did unsuccessfully in the World Test Championship final, also remains an option for selectors.
Green is the only member of Australia’s squad aged under 30, leading to “Dad’s Army” jibes from the English.
But Weatherald is confident he is only in contention for Australia because of how he has matured as a cricketer.
“People laugh about it, talking about the old team that we have,” Weatherald said.
“But at the same time, I think that’s the biggest blessing … we’ve all matured as cricketers.
“We’ve got to a point in our careers where we understand our games and how to handle the media, how to handle the pressures of playing first-class cricket.
“Hopefully, that keeps me in good stead.”
AAP
