![\"Nick](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/1792378214_596_441fcc43b663461ee537a1fa43bde38dbfcd68a8.png\")
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October 19, 2026 \u2014 12:00pm<\/p>\n
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Remove items from your saved list<\/a> to add more.<\/p>\n No gift articles left<\/p>\n You’ve used all of your gift articles. 3 more will become available on the 1st of every month.<\/p>\n Close<\/p>\n AAA<\/p>\n The man who helped transform Matthew Renshaw from a gun-shy opener into Australia\u2019s three-pronged saviour has shed light on the winter revolution that kicked off his resurgence in the international arena.<\/p>\n Former Queensland Bulls batsman Wade Townsend has worked closely with Renshaw, having taken the state\u2019s batting coaching duties when the towering left-hander was hunting a comeback.<\/p>\n Renshaw had been viewed as a top order specialist who could soak up time and grind together an innings, but the now 30-year-old needed to redefine himself.<\/p>\n While blessed with plenty of power from his long arms, he was yet to showcase his capacity to attack.<\/p>\n An off-season spent improving his fitness before honing his craft in the Northern Territory changed everything.<\/p>\n Related Article \u201cHe made some … changes last winter which he really wants to own. I feel like his game had grown really quickly once he started to see the benefits,\u201d Townsend said.<\/p>\n \u201cHe came back in really good shape so he could work hard at his batting, which he probably hadn\u2019t had the chance to do in the years prior because he was always either in England or on tours.<\/p>\n \u201cHe pretty much went straight into an Australia A side and dominated up in Darwin in white-ball cricket up there, and I think those technical changes just brought growth and confidence to him right across the board.\u201d<\/p>\n The Renshaw who struck 190 and 82 in Australia\u2019s 214-run first Test win over South Africa<\/a> last week is a very different proposition to the bright-eyed 20-year-old who debuted a decade ago.<\/p>\n After a strong start, including a ton in his fourth appearance, he began sliding down the pecking order. <\/p>\n Becoming a father, Townsend believed, played a major role in changing Renshaw\u2019s thought process.<\/p>\n \u201cBeing so desperate to play for Australia when you\u2019re in there so young, you want to hold on to what you\u2019ve got. I think anyone who\u2019s worked with Ren would watch six balls and go: \u2018Oh my gosh, this guy is one of the most skilful people there is,\u2019 \u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cThe skills, the power, were there and always was there, it was just bringing the confidence to be able to bring that out. It got to a point where I don\u2019t think he ever lost belief he would get back into the Australian side, but it maybe just didn\u2019t matter so much any more.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s perspective. He\u2019s a dad now and now knows that\u2019s more important than anything. I think that\u2019s played a big part in this journey for him, and it certainly helps him with the bad days as well, because no matter how well he\u2019s going, there are a lot of those still.<\/p>\n \u201cIt brought out a mentality for him to be able to express himself a bit more.\u201d<\/p>\n From that 2025 winter, the Renshaw of old was not so much cast aside as it was made to be more flexible.<\/p>\n He could still do a job slowly building into a knock against the new ball, but he had made technical tweaks that had allowed him to open the shoulders with confidence.<\/p>\n He had already shown \u201cgolden moments\u201d of that potential with dominant one-day form for the Bulls and match-winning knocks for the Brisbane Heat (headlined by an unbeaten 90 against the Melbourne Stars in 2023).<\/p>\n Related Article But that Northern Territory series Townsend alluded to for Australia A against Sri Lanka catapulted Renshaw into the summer \u2013 scoring a century and two half-centuries for 248 runs across three games.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was more around his bat pace and how he was presenting to the ball, being able to bring both sides of the field into play. His strength was never going to go away, but it was about being able to manage his outside edge a little bit more,\u201d Townsend said of Renshaw\u2019s technical changes.<\/p>\n \u201cHe was trying to shape up to the ball a little bit straighter, which in turn was able to bring out a bit more of a game on the off side, but keep his leg-side game really strong.\u201d<\/p>\n Last summer he struck three Sheffield Shield centuries from six appearances after his maiden ODI series against India, sealing his rise back to Australian consideration across all three formats.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s probably the big key in his mentality and focus,\u201d Townsend said. \u201cIt wasn\u2019t away from red-ball cricket, but to become just the best batsman he could possibly across all three formats, and to try to develop and upskill his game, grow and bring shots into his game.<\/p>\n \u201cI would say it was always there, it\u2019s just the consistency piece that\u2019s improved now. He\u2019s on a path now where he\u2019s a lot calmer in his life and at peace with a lot of things.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Townsend and Renshaw share a unique piece of history, having struck triple-centuries for Toombul in the Queensland Premier competition. Renshaw\u2019s 345 in 2018 surpassed Townsend\u2019s then-record of 311, which the latter groans he is reminded of \u201calmost daily\u201d.<\/p>\n With debate around whether Renshaw\u2019s future is as an opener or at No.5 \u2013 remaining in the latter for the second Test<\/a> \u2013 Townsend does not believe he needs to be locked into one role.<\/p>\n \u201cWe talked about trying to make him a batting allrounder \u2013 which has nothing to do with bowling. It\u2019s making him be so versatile he\u2019s irresistible anywhere in the order.\u201d<\/p>\n Start the day with a summary of the day\u2019s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter<\/a>.<\/p>\n Save<\/p>\n You have reached your maximum number of saved items.<\/p>\n![\"Matthew](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/1792378215_725_9a4ecf6e184e72a232266f2f24a0b24d0842221c.jpeg\")
Matthew Renshaw celebrates his century against South Africa.Getty Images<\/p>\n![\"Hugh](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/1792378217_998_c8d411df54a6b08be67575083b7c1d4c25bc3010387db427f91586cf8f2a21dd.jpeg\")
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