- Beardman: ‘I’m ready to go out and play some good cricket again’ Beardman is keeping his Test ambitions in sight but is taking his comeback one game at a time The three who matter: Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah all smiles after dismissing Pat Cummins The three who matter: Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah all smiles after dismissing Pat Cummins, India vs Australia, World Cup, Chennai, October 8, 2023 While talk of Beardman, 21, being a successor to Australia’s ageing Test quicks might be premature, his precocious skills and considerable pace will be on full display on Saturday when Western Australia take on England, who start their white-ball tour at the WACA.
- “The selection is well above my head, so if that opportunity arrives, I’ll try and grab it with both hands,” Beardman told reporters on Thursday.
- “I feel like I’m ready to go out and play some good cricket again.” Underlining the hype swirling around him, Beardman is quite clearly an emerging player on the radar of the national selectors.
Beardman: ‘I’m ready to go out and play some good cricket again’ Beardman is keeping his Test ambitions in sight but is taking his comeback one game at a time The three who matter: Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah all smiles after dismissing Pat Cummins The three who matter: Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah all smiles after dismissing Pat Cummins, India vs Australia, World Cup, Chennai, October 8, 2023 While talk of Beardman, 21, being a successor to Australia’s ageing Test quicks might be premature, his precocious skills and considerable pace will be on full display on Saturday when Western Australia take on England, who start their white-ball tour at the WACA.
“The selection is well above my head, so if that opportunity arrives, I’ll try and grab it with both hands,” Beardman told reporters on Thursday. “I feel like I’m ready to go out and play some good cricket again.” Underlining the hype swirling around him, Beardman is quite clearly an emerging player on the radar of the national selectors. Perhs his most memorable performance of his fledgling career was when he roughed up and ultimately out-duelled Steven Smith during last season’s BBL finals in an absorbing contest between generations.
But he suffered a recurrence of a stress fracture in his lower back after that game, an injury that ended his season. “The timing of it was pretty rough,” Beardman said, “I feel like I was feeling quite nice at the back of the Big Bash. It was just one of those things…
I think it’s understanding my body as I’m growing and developing. “It was extremely frustrating, but I’m super fortunate to be able to come back. Spent a good four or five months in the gym and built my body up.” Mahli Beardman shaved off India A’s top order, India A vs Australia A, 1st one-dayer, Puducherry, October 6, 2026 The injury not only robbed Beardman of more exposure at the international level, but also of a much-anticipated debut in the Sheffield Shield.
While some wide-eyed pundits are starting to push his Test case, Beardman is likely to slowly step into red-ball cricket as his body matures. “It can be tough not to see things or read into stuff,” Beardman said of the attention. “Whether that’s for WA or Australia, whatever it is, I think it’s just getting through each game and trying to build momentum off that.
“It’s [red-ball cricket] still at the forefront of my mind. It’s just prioritising getting back, playing cricket first, proving my fitness and that my body can handle it. “It’s a tough one to plan [Shield cricket].
It’s just a game-by-game thing at the moment. There hasn’t been a set date, so I’m actually not too sure as to when that is. It’s just to prove after each game that I’m getting through ok, that I’m not reporting any symptoms or soreness.” “I think the goal is as high as I can go.
I don’t think there’s a number. I still feel like I’ve got a decent way to go.” “I think the goal is as high as I can go,” Beardman said about his pace. “I don’t think there’s a number.
I still feel like I’ve got a decent way to go.” While his attacking prowess is undeniable, Beardman has been working on developing his defensive skills in an effort to become a better all-round quick. “I think there are times where you’re going to be ahead of the curve and there’s going to be times where you’re behind,” he said. “So I think in T20 cricket or white-ball cricket, especially, that’s something that you have to be ready for.
That’s definitely something that we’ve worked on, and I feel like we’re ready for.” Beardman, who has long been mentored by Dennis Lillee, will get a chance to make his mark very early in the Australian season when he unleashes against England at the revamped WACA set to boast a lively crowd of 4500 to rekindle fond memories of the famous ground. “I think it’s just an awesome hit out. I think it’s a great chance to really get some insight into their top order and how they play,” Beardman said.
“It’s an opportunity to get a look at them earlier than the rest of the squad and pass some information on.” Mahli Beardman was pumped after removing Steven Smith, Perth Scorchers vs Sydney Sixers, BBL, Qualifier, Optus Stadium, January 20, 2026
