AUS vs IND: Who is Beau Webster? The all-rounder debutant who replaced Mitchell Marsh in playing XI for Sydney Test
AUS vs IND: Who is Beau Webster? The all-rounder debutant who replaced Mitchell Marsh in playing XI for Sydney Test
Beau Webster will become Australia’s 469th Test player when he wears the baggy green cap starting Friday against India in the fifth match of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Sydney.
Captain Pat Cummins confirmed Webster’s debut and that he will replace an out of form Mitchell Marsh in the playing XI as Australia looks to win back the coveted trophy, leading 2-1 into the final match of the series.
A like-for-like replacement of Marsh, Webster will be slotting in at number six, as Australia looks to “freshen up” things. “Mitchy obviously hasn’t quite got the runs, and perhaps wickets this series. So, we felt like it was time for a freshen up and Beau’s been great,” Cummins said on the eve of the Test.
Webster, 31, made his First-Class debut in 2014 for Tasmania and has batted everywhere from opener to number seven. Although starting his professional career as finger spinner, he switched to bowling seam since 2021.
The 6’5” all-rounder has compiled 1837 runs at 51.01 since the start of the 2022/23 season. Webster usually bowls first change for Tasmania and has taken 39 wickets since the start of the last season. He’s the reigning Sheffield Shield player of the season.
Overall, he has played 93 FC games, scoring 5297 runs, including 12 hundreds, at an average of close to 38. With the ball, Webster has picked 148 wickets with the red ball at 37.39.
He was also part of Australia A’s side when India A toured last November. In the two four-day games, Webster scored 145 runs and claimed seven wickets.
