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30-year-old Webster, who is yet to play an international match for Australia, was added to the Baggy Greens’ squad on Thursday for the 2nd Test against India, which will be played with the pink ball in Adelaide from December 6 to 10.
Beau Webster is added to Australian squad for the 2nd Test against India. (Picture Credit: AFP)
Cricket Australia added uncapped all-rounder Beau Webster to Australia’s Test squad for the second match of the ongoing five-match series against India on Thursday (November 28). Webster, who impressed with his all-round performance in the two unofficial Tests played between India A and Australia A in Mackay and Melbourne earlier this month, has played a total of 93 First Class matches so far and has 5297 runs and 148 wickets to his name.
It was reported on Wednesday that the Hobart-born cricketer, who is 2 m tall, will be roped into the Australian squad for the second Test as a replacement for Mitchell Marsh, who may miss the next match of the Border Gavaskar Trophy due to an injury.
“Marsh has been battling a couple of little niggles since the UK tour,” Pat Cummins said in the post-match presser after the hosts lost the series opener by 295 runs in Perth.
As revealed by the Australian captain, Marsh experienced a little soreness towards the end of the first Test.
“So the next ten days he has a chance to freshen up and try to get it right. We’ll see how he goes,” Cummins added.
If Marsh fails to recover on time, Webster may get the opportunity to make his international debut and become the 468th men’s cricketer to receive the coveted Baggy Green cap.
Australia can also try Josh Inglis, but the wicketkeeper-batter won’t be able to support the bowling unit.
Webster, who represents Tasmania in the Sheffield Shield, has been in scintillating form since the start of the 2022–23 season. He has racked up 1788 runs at a 50-plus average during this period. His tally includes as many as five centuries and nine fifties.
Webster could have demonstrated his bowling skills last summer. The left-arm seamer picked 30 wickets at an average of 29.30 in the Sheffield Shield last summer. He also featured in the recent series against India A and registered 145 runs while taking seven wickets.
Earlier this week, Webster put up a match-winning performance in a Sheffield Shield game against New South Wales at the Sydney Cricket Ground. He struck 61 and 49 runs while bagging five wickets across the two innings. He fetched a double in the last over to help Tasmania secure their first win of the season.
