Beau Webster Set to Step in for Mitchell Marsh in the 5th Test Against India

Starting January 3, 2025, the Sydney Cricket Ground is going to be extremely busy because Australia is getting ready to face off against India in the fifth and vitally key test. The team is bringing in a new man, Beau Webster, for his first test game ever, and he's taking over for Mitchell Marsh. This change is very big news.

Since Australia is ahead in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series with a 2-1 lead, they're excited and ready to snatch their first series win in India in more than ten years.

“Beau’s story is a great one of resilience… I think he’ll have the backing of an entire state over the next five days”

Terrific to chat with some of those closest to Beau Webster ahead of his Test debut tomorrow.@TheMercurySport

STORY ➡️ https://t.co/l0QcRp9yPT pic.twitter.com/yflVqciAal

— Ryan Rosendale (@RosendaleRyan) January 2, 2025

Why Mitchell Marsh Is Out

The selectors saw that Mitchell Marsh wasn't doing too well in the series, only scoring 73 runs and not doing much with his bowling. They think this is a good opportunity for Beau Webster to step in and display his abilities at the international level.

Pat Cummins, our captain, said Mitch Marsh is still vitally important for the team, especially when we are discussing the short games but he also mentioned that adding Webster to the team will make things better. And he made sure everyone knew this is not farewell for Marsh in test cricket at all.

ALSO READ:Pat Cummins Reveals Australia’s Strategy to Tackle Jasprit Bumrah in Sydney Test

Spotlight on Beau Webster

Beau Jacob Webster has been making waves in domestic cricket, which earned him this debut. His versatility is a huge asset, as he bats right-handed and can bowl both off-spin and medium pace.

Domestic Career Highlights

Webster achieved it in the 2023-24 Sheffield Shield season, making him the second individual ever to hit more than 900 runs and take 30 wickets in just one season. Playing for Tasmania in the local games, he's also been doing really good for the Melbourne Stars in the Bash league.

First-Class Career Stats

Matches: 93

Runs Scored: 5,297

Batting Average: 37.83

Centuries/Half-Centuries: 12/24

Wickets Taken: 148

Bowling Average: 37.39

Best Bowling Figures: 6/100

Webster's all-around skills and impressive form make him a perfect fit for this high-pressure match against India.

Australia's Squad for the 5th Test

Most of the squad remains unchanged, with Webster being the only newcomer. The confirmed playing XI is:

Sam Konstas, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Beau Webster, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Scott Boland

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has unveiled the final shortlists for the ICC Awards 2024, celebrating the exceptional performances of cricketers in various categories. These include the Men’s Test Cricketer of the Year, the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for ICC Men’s Cricketer of the Year, and the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy for ICC Women’s Cricketer of the Year.

Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy: ICC Men’s Cricketer of the Year

The nominees for this prestigious accolade feature some of the finest names in cricket.

• Harry Brook (England): Brook lit up the cricketing world with his explosive performances across all formats. He maintained an incredible average of over 50 in Tests, ODIs, and T20Is, showcasing his versatility and power hitting.
• Joe Root (England): Root had a phenomenal year in Tests, scoring more runs (1,556) and centuries (six) than any other batter. His form in the longest format has been nothing short of remarkable.
• Jasprit Bumrah (India): Bumrah shone as India’s pace spearhead, excelling in World Test Championship duels and leading India to victory in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. He was named Player of the Tournament, claiming 15 wickets at a staggering average of 8.24.
• Travis Head (Australia): Known for his flair, Head scored nearly 1,400 runs across all formats in 2024. As the top-ranked Men’s T20I batter, he aims to better his nomination from last year.

ALSO READ:Rohit Sharma on Rishabh Pant: Balancing Flair with Responsibility

Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy: ICC Women’s Cricketer of the Year

This category honors the most outstanding women cricketers, with four deserving nominees.

• Chamari Athapaththu (Sri Lanka): Athapaththu led from the front for Sri Lanka, amassing over 1,100 runs and taking 30 wickets across formats. She also guided Sri Lanka to their first Asia Cup victory in front of a jubilant home crowd.
• Laura Wolvaardt (South Africa): Wolvaardt had a sublime year, scoring over 1,500 runs and leading South Africa to their second consecutive Women’s T20 World Cup final.
• Amelia Kerr (New Zealand): Kerr excelled as an all-rounder, scoring 651 runs and taking 43 wickets. She was the Player of the Tournament at the Women’s T20 World Cup, where her performances were pivotal to her team’s success.
• Annabel Sutherland (Australia): The young star had a breakthrough year, smashing the fastest double-century in women’s Test history and contributing significantly with both bat and ball.

ICC Men’s Test Cricketer of the Year

This category recognizes the best performers in the longest format of the game.

• Harry Brook (England): Brook scored 1,100 Test runs at an average of 55, including four centuries and a memorable triple-hundred in Multan.
• Joe Root (England): Root continued to dominate Test cricket, becoming England’s all-time highest run-scorer and reclaiming the top spot in the ICC Men’s Test Batter Rankings.
• Jasprit Bumrah (India): With 71 wickets at an average of 14.92, Bumrah was the leading wicket-taker in Tests. His fiery spells were key to India’s success against top teams like South Africa, England, and Australia.
• Kamindu Mendis (Sri Lanka): Mendis had a record-breaking year, scoring 1,049 runs at an average of 74.92. He became the first batter in history to hit a half-century in each of his first eight Tests and the fastest in 75 years to reach 1,000 Test runs.

These nominations showcase the remarkable talent and dedication of the players, highlighting their impact on international cricket. The winners, decided through votes from cricket experts and fans, will be announced in early 2025.

🚨 THE COMPLETE LIST OF NOMINEES FOR ICC AWARDS 2024. 🚨 pic.twitter.com/NZRvQhT9lO

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) December 30, 2024

Many cricket fans were shocked after watching Australian cricketer Travis Head’s ungli celebration of Rishabh Pant’s dismissal on the fifth day of the Melbourne Test. An Australian commentator finally revealed the meaning of that celebration.

It was an important Test match of the series, where the hosts Australia have taken a 2-1 series lead by winning the Melbourne Test by 184 runs. Sydney will host the last Test of the five-match Test series, where the visitors India can only draw the series. 

The hosts Australia set a challenging 340-run target for the visitors India in the fourth innings of the Melbourne Test. India lost their first three wickets quickly as they were struggling at 33/3. Later, the opener Yashasvi Jaiswal and the wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant took the responsibility in the fourth innings. 

Travis Head dismissed Rishabh Pant

Jaiswal and Pant's partnership spent more than 30 overs as they had an 88-run partnership for the fourth wicket. While the Australian captain Pat Cummins tried his luck with the part-time off-spinner Travis Head, it worked as Pant was out in Head’s over after his big shot found Mitchell Marsh at long-on. After taking that wicket, Head made a surprising celebration where his right hand’s index finger went to the other hand’s circle made by the fingers. 

Travis Head gets Rishabh Pant and pulls out a unique celebration 👀#AUSvIND | #PlayOfTheDay | @nrmainsurance pic.twitter.com/EVvcmaiFv7

— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 30, 2024

'I had to put the digit on ice'

Former Australian cricketer and Channel 7’s commentator, James Brayshaw, later revealed the meaning of that celebration. He said, "Now, great people in the back have said after he took 4/10 within 17 balls in Sri Lanka in 2022 he was quoted as saying, 'I had to put the digit on ice'. So that was the celebration. He said 'I just got him and I'm putting it back on ice'."

During the 2022 Galle Test, Head recorded his best Test bowling figures of 2.5-0-10-4, as Sri Lanka were bundled out for only 113 runs in their second innings and Australia won by 10 wickets. 

Coming back to the Melbourne Test, Rishabh Pant's dismissal triggered the Indian batting collapse in the fourth innings of the Test match as India were bundled out for only 155 runs, while once battling on 121/7. 

Once again Travis Head became India’s key problem, but this time with the ball in hand. After dismissing the set batter Rishabh Pant, Head had a shocking ungli celebration. 

Australia set a 340-run fourth innings target for the visitors India in the Melbourne Test. The visitors lost their first three wickets before the lunch break as they were struggling at 33/3. However, the opener Yashasvi Jaiswal and wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant controlled the innings with their patient batting performances.

In the critical moment, Jaiswal and Pant set an 80+ runs partnership for the fourth wicket and spent more than 30 overs in the crease. In fact, India didn’t lose a wicket in the second session of the fifth day, which brought the hope of another drawn Test. 

While the Aussie skipper Pat Cummins tried luck with the part-time off-spinner Travis Head, it worked for the team. 

Also Watch: Yashasvi Jaiswal's Iconic Reply to Mitchell Starc: A Moment of Wit and Confidence

Travis Head dismissed Rishabh Pant

Rishabh Pant fell into the Aussie trap as he lost the key wicket in Head’s over. While the left-handed wicketkeeper batter charged the short outside off delivery, Mitchell Marsh took a good catch at the long-on. 

It was Head’s 14th Test wicket and surely one of the most important wickets in his international career. After dismissing Pant, Head made a shocking celebration, where many cricket fans were confused about his ungli celebration gesture. 

Travis Head gets Rishabh Pant and pulls out a unique celebration 👀#AUSvIND | #PlayOfTheDay | @nrmainsurance pic.twitter.com/EVvcmaiFv7

— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 30, 2024

India lost by 184 runs

It proved a big breakthrough for the hosts as they broke the 88-run partnership for the fourth wicket which spent 32.3 overs. Pant was out for 30 runs off 104 runs. Later, Jaiswal was dismissed for 84 runs as only these two batters reached the double-digit scores in the innings. Fighting from 121/3, India were all out for 155 runs in 20.4 balls. 

With this 184-run win in Melbourne, Australia have taken an unassailable 2-1 series lead before the last match of the five-match Test series.   

Arshdeep Singh Shortlisted for ICC T20I Cricketer of the Year

Arshdeep Singh, a young fast bowler from India, got a nomination for the Men's T20I Cricketer of the Year. It was on December 29 that the International Cricket Council put out the list of nominees. During the T20 World Cup 2024, Arshdeep really showed what he could do. Singh ended up as one of the top bowlers by taking the same number of wickets as the highest wicket-taker. In eight matches, he managed to get 17 victims, boasting a very low average of 12.64 and keeping his runs per over down to 7.16.

Arshdeep not only did an excellent job in the World Cup but also became the top spot for most wickets taken in Test matches among countries that play tests. He got 36 wickets across 18 games, with an impressive average of just 13.50 and giving 7.49 runs per over. What's surprising is that Jasprit Bumrah, even after getting the Player of the Tournament title at the T20 World Cup, didn't even get a nominee spot for the celebrated ICC Men's T20I Cricketer of the Year award now.

ALSO READ:Arshdeep Singh's Five-Wicket Masterclass Stuns Mumbai in Vijay Hazare Trophy

Bumrah performed admirably during the World Cup, finishing as the tournament's second-highest wicket-taker with 15 wickets in eight games, boasting an incredible average of 8.26 and an economy rate of just 4.17. Another nominee is Pakistani star Babar Azam, who was the leading T20I run-scorer for both Test-playing teams and globally, accumulating 738 runs in 23 innings with an average of 33.54 and a strike rate of 133.21, including six half-centuries.

Travis Head from Australia is competing for the award too. This year, he was amazing in T20Is and obtained the most runs for Australia, hitting 539 in 15 games. Head managed to achieve an average of 38.50 and had an inordinately speedy strike rate of 178.47, which included scoring four half-centuries -- proving he can effectively challenge the bowlers.

Sikandar Raza from Zimbabwe completes the list of nominees, with a stellar 2024. Earlier this year, he got everyone to notice him by making the second-fastest century ever in T20 International games.Raza performed well overall, hitting a total of 573 runs over 23 innings, which gives him an average of 28.65. His hitting was very strong too, with a strike rate of 146.54.  Raza even managed to score one century and two fifties. When it comes to bowling, he wasn't unsuccessful either, taking 24 wickets in 23 matches and averaging 22.25 for each wicket he took. Raza shone in one game where he took 5 wickets and only gave up 18 runs.

Arshdeep Singh nominated for ICC Men’s T20I Cricketer of the Year.

- Nominees: Raza, Head, Babar, and Arshdeep.#ArshdeepSingh #INDvsAUS #INDvAUS #AUSvIND #AUSvsIND #AUSvINDIA #ViratKohli pic.twitter.com/fFHTfSuZMZ

— OP VIN (@vinsaa96) December 29, 2024

Now, fans can vote for their favorite players on the ICC website to help decide this prestigious accolade!

Pacer Jasprit Bumrah has achieved the joint-highest rating points ever for an Indian bowler in the rankings after his stellar performance of 9 for 94 in the third Test at Brisbane.

The Indian pacer, who already leads the rankings list of bowlers has strengthened his position at the top by adding 14 points and taking his tally to 904 points. He is now 48 points clear of second-placed Kagiso Rabada (856). The only other Indian bowler who achieved this milestone is Ravichandran Ashwin who retired recently. He attained a tally of 904 points after the fourth Test against England in Mumbai in December 2016.

Highest Rating Points by Indians

Bowling 
TEST - Ashwin/𝗕𝘂𝗺𝗿𝗮𝗵 (904)*
ODI - Maninder Singh (851)
T20I - Ravi Ashwin (765)

Bumrah is currently the highest wicket-taker in the ongoing Border Gavaskar series with 21 wickets at an average of 10.90 in six innings. He has a chance to break Ashwin's record when both teams meet in Melbourne for the Boxing Day Test with the series being tied at 1-1.

See Also:- AUS vs IND 4th Test Preview: Boxing Day Match—Playing XI, Pitch Report, H2H Record & Prediction

Travis Head moves to 4th, Steve Smith enters the Top 10 on the back of centuries

Moving to the batters rankings list, Australian in-form batter Travis Head moves to 4th position replacing India's top order batter Yashasvi Jaiswal. All thanks to Travis Head's 152 in the first innings at Gabba and the century in Adelaide as well. England's batter Joe Root leads the list with 895 rating points. Travis Head's teammate, Steve Smith, enters the Top 10 list on the back of a century in the first innings at the Gabba. Indian wicketkeeper batter has been moved out of the top ten.

Australian Skipper Pat Cummins finds himself back into the top ten list of all-rounders as he picked up 4 wickets and scored 42 runs in the Gabba Test.

Heinrich Klaasen, Saim Ayub improves after Historic ODI Series 

Heinrich Klaasen moves himself from 13th to 5th in the ODI batting rankings after his three consecutive fifties against Pakistan. Pakistan's Saim Ayub who had a brilliant ODI series after scoring 109, 25, and 101 and helping Pakistan to clean sweep the 3-match ODI series moves himself 57 slots to a career-best 23rd position.

Babar Azam continues to lead the ODI batting list, with Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in second and third place, respectively.

Highest Rating Points by Indians

Batting 
TEST - Virat Kohli (937)
ODI - Virat Kohli (911)
T20I - Suryakumar (910)

Travis Head Returns and Boland Strengthens the Squad

Pat Cummins, the captain of Australia's cricket team, said that Travis Head can play in the important game on Boxing Day at the MCG against India, this was announced just before the game starts. Cummins also let everyone know that Scott Boland is coming back to the team, and a new player, Sam Konstas, is going to play his first game ever.

"Trav's good to go, he'll play, Cummins said. He worked on a few final details today and yesterday. There's no injury concern with Trav, he's all set for the game.

Last week in the Brisbane test, Head hurt his leg muscle a little when he was batting but he made it through a hard fitness test on Christmas Day. Now he can play in the fourth test of this series, which is all tied up at 1-1.

I don't think we'll have to manage him too much during the game. He plays his game as usual, Cummins added. If he feels uncomfortable while fielding, we might adjust, but he's fully fit."

Cummins praised Head's recent form, saying, "He's been in incredible shape for the last year, and it just keeps getting better. He hits the ball so cleanly and puts pressure back on the opposition right from the first ball."

Cummins was extremely happy to say that having Head in their team is amazing. He was totally, I'm glad I don't have to think through how to stop him with field settings, since he's hitting the ball in ways I haven't seen. I just really want this to continue happening!

A Historic Debut for Sam Konstas

At only 19, Konstas is becoming the youngest person ever to open a test match for the country at the MCG. He's getting this strikingly large chance because Nathan McSweeney felt unhappy with the team since he didn't obtain well in his last couple of tests.

He said Sam should simply enjoy himself and not stress much regarding playing, like when you are a child. He shared that when he was 18 and extremely excited, once the industry began, it truly seemed the same as any game. His advice to Sam was basically to remain placid and wholly enjoy the trade.

Building Momentum for the Boxing Day Test

Local favorite Boland is also coming back into the series after the second Test in Adelaide, taking the place of the injured Josh Hazlewood, who has a calf injury.

Boland did great in Adelaide, and Cummins was focused on praising him. He really knows how to bring his utmost quality approach every time he gets to play, and he's basically as good as the top bowlers we see globally. I'm counting on him to do something amazing again. There's something unique about him and the MCG  he's got more games there as an athlete than anyone else on our team. In addition his prep approach is strong, said Cummins.

Cummins added that it's great to have someone like Scotty ready to step in, even though it's unfortunate about Josh's injury.

 Australia XI :

SEE ALSO: Two spinners on the cards? India set to make radical changes ahead of the MCG Test

Cricket Australia has confirmed that the young Sam Konstas will make his head in the Boxing Day Test starting in Melbourne on December 26. At 19 years and 45 days old, Konstas will become the fourth youngest Australian player to debut in Test cricket. Only Ian Craig, current Australian captain Pat Cummins, and Tom Garrett made their debuts at an age younger than his. The good news was conveyed to Konstas by Australia's selector on duty Tony Dodemaide on Tuesday morning but advised him to wait till Christmas Day for an official announcement of the rest of the XI after the closure of Cummins' pre-match press conference.

See also: Tanush Kotian added to India's squad for Border Gavaskar Trophy

Australian head coach Andrew McDonald excited to see him in action

Konstas' MCG debut was officially confirmed in a press conference attended by Australian head coach Andrew McDonald post-training on Tuesday. McDonald heaped countless praise on the youngster and believes that he has a wide range of shots in his armory to tackle the impending threat from a quality Indian pace attack. 

"We said from the get go, when leading into the summer, that we wouldn't shy away, and age was no barrier. And what he's shown is an array of shots, the ability to put pressure back on to opponents and he gets his opportunity. We're really excited for him."

Furthermore, McDonald stated that age was never seen as a consideration and indicated that his selection was purely based on merit. The NSW-born Konstas offered promising glimpses of his true batting exploits when he slammed a defiant 107 off 97 in a two-day practice game against India in Canberra. 

Worrying signs for Head and Australia ahead of the MCG Test 

Things haven't been progressing all that well for the star Australian batter Travis Head since his minor quad strain while batting in Australia's second innings in Brisbane. Very recently, Head was seen in action on Tuesday when he took part in some running and fielding drills and also practiced his batting in the nets. 

The Australian head coach confirms that there is some worry surrounding Head's fitness but remains confident of his recovery before the Boxing Day Test. 

"Has he got some things to work through? Yeah, he has, so that's what you would have seen. There's no concern at the moment. Has he been officially ticked off? I'm not sure. I didn't see the sort of back-end of his training session there, but I'm pretty confident he'll play. I think he looked good with the bat in hand so obviously skills are in good order. It'll just be basically what risk is associated with that. He had a small strain on the quad. But no concerns from my end. He's been able to be running, so I think he'll be fully functional come the game time."

Later after the end of his grueling training session on Tuesday, Head engaged in a lengthy debate with McDonald and Australia's physio Nick Jones with the latter reportedly rubbishing concerns surrounding his quad strain injury. In addition, McDonald also confirmed two more changes leading into the fourth Test with Konstas replacing Nathan McSweeney and Scott Boland replacing the injured Josh Hazlewood.

The fifth day of the 3rd Test between India and Australia began with Akash Deep and Jasprit Bumrah resuming India’s innings from where they had left off the previous day. The pair added a few crucial runs in the early morning before Akash Deep was stumped by Alex Carey off Travis Head’s bowling. With that dismissal, India was bowled out for 260, avoiding the follow-on but trailing by 186 runs.

First Session: Rain Halts Play

Australia started their second innings aiming to extend their lead quickly, but heavy rain soon arrived, disrupting the game. The first session saw minimal play as the rain and wet outfield delayed proceedings. By lunch, India was still trailing, and the weather looked ominous.

Second Session: Australia Goes for Quick Runs

When play resumed after lunch, Australia adopted an aggressive approach. They scored 89 runs in just 18 overs, despite losing seven wickets in the process. The intent was clear — they wanted to build a commanding lead before declaring. Eventually, Australia set a target of 275 for India, declaring their innings to force a result in the match.

See Also: https://www.cricketwinner.com/cricket-news/brisbane-test-day-5-rain-plays-ultimate-spoilsport-in-unexpected-possible-thriller/

Final Session: Rain and Bad Light End Hopes

India came out to bat with 275 to chase but managed only 2.1 overs, scoring 8 runs without losing a wicket. Just as Mitchell Starc began his spell, dark clouds loomed over the ground, and bad light forced the umpires to stop play. Tea was taken early, and shortly after, the rain returned, washing out the remainder of the day. With the official overs running out and no improvement in weather conditions, the match was declared a draw after discussions between the captains and umpires.

The Impact of Rain and Interruptions

This match saw numerous interruptions, with Day 4 alone witnessing six stoppages. Rain and bad light across the five days frustrated players and fans, disrupting the game’s rhythm. Without these delays, the contest could have been far more thrilling, with both teams having chances to push for a result.

With the series tied at 1–1, the focus now shifts to the next two matches, where India and Australia will fight to take the upper hand in this fiercely contested Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

Australia's middle-order batter Travis Head is doubtful for the Boxing Day Test due to a tight quad. Head was adjudged as Player of the Match for his knock of 152(160) in the first innings, putting the hosts on top. Head also scored a century in the Pink Ball Test in Adelaide. He has been such a headache for the Indian side as consistently performing against them.

Travis Head didn't take on the field and also looked uncomfortable while batting. Ravi Shastri asked him during the post-match presentation about his fitness and he replied, "Just a little sore but I should be fine (before the next game)."

🗣️ "Trav, he'll be fine. It's a bit of a tight quad, he'll be fine for Melbourne."

- Pat Cummins on Travis Head's status #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/3Xa1cDaH4l

— 7Cricket (@7Cricket) December 18, 2024

Pat Cummins provides an update regarding Head's availability

Skipper Pat Cummins provided an update about Head's availability for the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne. Cummins said, "Trav, he'll be fine. It's a bit of a tight quad, he'll be fine for Melbourne." It will be a huge blow for the hosts if Travis Head misses out on the Melbourne Test or even the Sydney Test. The in-form batter is a crucial part of the host's power batting unit. So, the hosts will be hoping that Travis Head will recover within a week to feature in the Melbourne Test.

See Also:- Ravichandran Ashwin retires from international cricket

Rain ends the game in a Draw and BGT moves to Melbourne at 1-1

Rain had the final say in the Brisbane Test as both teams had to settle it for a draw. After being dismissed for 260 by the hosts hosts had 185-run lead. Australia was able to score 89-7 in the 2nd innings to give visitors the target of 275 in 54 overs remaining on Day 5. But rain poured continuously and then they had to settle it for a draw. BGT 2024-25 now moves to Melbourne for the Boxing Day Test with the series tied at 1-1.