“He deserves his chance”: Australian great gives Beau Webster’s selection the green light

Former Australian test opener and member of the SEN cricket commentary team Simon Katich has backed Beau Webster after his selection for the fifth test at the SCG.

The Tasmanian all-rounder joined the Australian squad for the second test of the series in Adelaide and has been picked after a bad run of form saw Mitch Marsh omitted from the side.

“From Beau Webster’s perspective, he definitely deserves his opportunity. He’s banged down the door with runs and wickets at Shield level,” Katich told SEN Breakfast.

Webster has averaged 57.1 with the bat at Sheffield Shield level since March 2022 to go along with taking 81 wickets during that time span.

“He deserves his chance, and it’s great to see the selectors have been consistent.”

The 30-year-old's consistency with both the bat and the ball was just too much to ignore, leading to Allan Border Medal winner Mitch Marsh, who has averaged 10.40 with the bat this series, being dropped.

“It’s not unexpected, given Marsh’s form in the last four tests,” Katich said.

“I guess the fact that Australia won the other day I thought they might go in with the same squad.”

Katich also commented on the growing reports of a disjointed Indian camp after the surprise omission of skipper Rohit Sharma from the series-deciding test match.

“There’s obviously a fair bit of tension brewing after they lost what was probably the unlosable test in Melbourne”, Katich said.

“There’s a lot going on at that camp, and it's just been disjointed.”

Despite the reports of a divided changeroom, India would retain the Border Gavaskar trophy for a fifth consecutive series with a win at the SCG.

“There’s definitely character in their group, and they’ve hung in there throughout this series even with only three or four guys playing at their best,” Katich said.

The fifth test of the Border Gavaskar series starts today at the SCG.

Listen to it live on the SEN app.