Playing Anytime For Australia Is Special, But Getting Back In Test Team Is My Priority: Renshaw

(MENAFN- IANS) Gold Coast, March 23 (IANS) Having impressed in Australia’s T20 World Cup run, batter Matthew Renshaw said that returning to the Test team remains his top priority despite having a career-best year in the limited-overs formats.

Renshaw, who made his Test debut in 2016, became the 63rd man to represent Australia in all three formats after making his ODI debut against India in last October and his T20I debut against Pakistan in January. His last outing in Baggy Green came during Australia’s tour to India in 2023.

With an important Test series lined up for the former Australia, Renshaw hopes to be in contention for the red-ball side after having a superb Sheffield Shield season, top scoring with 499 runs at an average of 49.90 that includes three centuries.

However, he is in contention for a spot in the XI with a middle order vacancy after Usman Khawaja’s retirement and Jake Weatherald not securing the opening role yet.

“When I was going through what I wanted to achieve in the preseason… I wouldn’t have told you that I would debut in two different formats. It’s something (I’ll) be able to reminisce now having a bit of a break… to see how successful that year was,” Renshaw told reporters at the announcement of Australia’s 2026-27 schedule.

“Trying to get back in the Test team is a priority of mine, but anytime you play for Australia, it is pretty special. And now to have played in the T20 World Cup is pretty awesome,” he said.

The 29-year old made his T20I debut in Pakistan earlier in the year and made it to the T20 World Cup squad as a late replacement for Matt Short. He went onto score 37 against Ireland and 65 against Zimbabwe before Australia crashed out in the league stage of the World Cup and was their third-highest run-getter while only batting in two innings at the event.

With my one-day cricket specifically, I’m able to manipulate the game a bit more. We’re seeing it a little bit more around the world, trying to change the way that bowlers are bowling.

“In the past in red-ball cricket, (as) the bowlers are locking in for top of off (stump), you’ve got to try and leave as well as you can. But now, just walking down the wicket changes the angle (and) gets him thinking what you’re trying to do,” Renshaw said.

Australia’s white ball team will return with back-to-back ODI and T20I tours of Pakistan and Bangladesh in late May and early June, while the Test team will be in action in August when they host Bangladesh in Darwin and Mackay.

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