He will be the third player from the hosts to debut in the ongoing Border Gavaskar Trophy.
Australia announced their XI for the New Year’s Test against India, which will be the finale of the ongoing five-match Border Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) series. For the decider, the hosts will see a third new debutant in the 2024-25 BGT, with 31-year-old all-rounder Beau Webster making his Test debut after Nathan McSweeney and Sam Konstas earlier in the series.
Webster will become Australia’s 469th Test player and will be a like-for-like replacement for Mitchell Marsh. Webster is the team’s sixth preferred hitter.
Averaging just 10.42 for the series, Marsh was failing to make cuts with his over-pace bowling and was subsequently dropped. While Marsh also had complaints about his back early in the series, captain Pat Cummins confirmed there were no health issues.
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A late bloomer
At the age of 31, Beau Webster is definitely a late bloomer. During his first eight seasons in the Sheffield Shield, not once did the right-hander’s average exceed 40. However, he has had a turnaround in the last four seasons. Since the start of the 2021-22 Sheffield Shield, he has averaged over 50 in three different seasons.
The epitome of his batting came when he produced an unbeaten 166 against New South Wales in March 2022, displaying his best attack and racking up 21 boundaries and six sixes.
In early 2023, he demonstrated his batting prowess by scoring an unbeaten century while batting at number 6 against Queensland in the Sheffield Shield. After that remarkable performance, Webster showed his foresight by continuing to bat in the same batting position.
He has also earned recognition for his explosive hitting ability, as evidenced by his towering sixes in the Big Bash League (BBL). Webster’s adaptability is further underlined by his role in the BBL, where he adapts his approach to suit different match scenarios, whether stabilizing the innings or playing the finisher role.
The 6’5” all-rounder with a unique ability
Webster’s impressive height of 198cm provides a distinct advantage, particularly as a batsman. Its long reach allows it to play shots over a wide range, proving especially effective against spin bowlers. His batting style is characterized by powerful shots, complemented by elegant covers and precise cuts.
On the other hand, he has the unique ability to achieve spin and rhythm. While he has been a right-arm spinner, he has also added pace bowling to his repertoire in the last four years.
Given this unique ability, it is yet to be decided how captain Pat Cummins will turn to Webster’s bowling.
Recent stellar numbers in first-class cricket
In his last three first-class matches, Webster secured 12 wickets, including a six-wicket haul and an unbeaten 46* during the recent Australia A vs India A game in Melbourne.
Since March 2022, the Tasmanian all-rounder has maintained a remarkable batting average of 57.1 in first-class cricket and has taken 81 wickets at an average of 31.7.
Notably, in the previous Sheffield Shield season, the 31-year-old achieved a rare feat – becoming the first player since Sir Garfield Sobers to score over 900 runs and take 30 wickets in a single season. Webster finished as the leading run-scorer with 938 runs at an average of 58.62, along with his 30 wickets at 29.30.
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