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Australia have dropped opener Jake Weatherald and recalled left-hander Matt Renshaw for the 2nd Test against Bangladesh in Mackay after their nine-wicket defeat in Darwin. It is the only change to Australia’s 13-man squad. Renshaw, 30, averages 29.31 in 14 Tests and has two first-class centuries at the Great Barrier Reef Arena. Marnus Labuschagne retains his place despite scoring just 1 and 31 in Darwin, but coach Andrew McDonald acknowledged the former world No. 1 is under pressure to deliver.
Mackay, Australia: The fallout from Australia’s stunning nine-wicket defeat to Bangladesh in Darwin — the first time Australia have ever lost a home Test to Bangladesh — has arrived swiftly. Selectors named their squad for the 2nd Bangladesh Test on Tuesday, making just one change: Weatherald out, Renshaw in. The decision to make only one change leaves the rest of Australia’s squad with an opportunity to respond after the heavy defeat.
Weatherald Pays the Price
Jake Weatherald’s Test career has been put on hold — at least for now — after the South Australian opener managed 23 in the first innings in Darwin and a second-innings duck. Weatherald had come into the series with a tweaked technique designed to eliminate the lbw and bowled dismissals that plagued him against England, but the adjustments failed to prevent the pair of low scores in the opening Test. His career average now sits at 20.36 from six Tests and 12 Test innings.
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“Yeah, there was some change to Jake in terms of where he lined up and his movement patterns,” coach Andrew McDonald said of the technique adjustments Weatherald had made coming into the Darwin Test. Those adjustments ultimately failed to prevent the pair of low scores that ended his involvement in the series.
Renshaw Returns to a Familiar Stage
Matthew Renshaw’s recall is a selection with logic and local knowledge behind it. The 30-year-old left-hander is a veteran of 14 Tests and has two first-class centuries at the Great Barrier Reef Arena in Mackay — a ground that will be hosting its first-ever Test match this weekend and one that Renshaw knows particularly well. In the Sheffield Shield, he has been one of Queensland’s consistent performers, and his familiarity with the conditions at the venue gives him an immediate advantage over less experienced alternatives.
Renshaw made his Test debut in 2016 and played 11 Tests before being dropped in 2018, then returned briefly in 2023 for three Tests. His last Test appearance came against India in February 2023. He has also represented Australia in limited-overs cricket and has continued to build his red-ball credentials for Queensland. He averages 29.31 in Tests with one century and three fifties — modest by elite standards, but the circumstances of this series demand reliability.
The most likely scenario has Renshaw opening alongside Travis Head, although Australia’s final batting order will only be confirmed when the XI is announced.
Labuschagne Retains Place But Faces Questions
The decision to retain Marnus Labuschagne in the squad despite scores of 1 and 31 in Darwin will attract debate. The former world No. 1 Test batter has endured a prolonged lull in form, and his Darwin contributions did little to arrest growing concern about his place in the side.
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McDonald was careful to acknowledge the pressure while backing Labuschagne to respond. “He’s had a bit of a lull. He knows that. He’s gone to work. I think we saw some change in the way that he played, so that’s good. Some of that work that he had done feels as though it’s stuck up under pressure,” the coach said. “We’ve got to get the best out of Marn as well.”
Labuschagne’s place in the XI remains a selection matter for Australia, with his recent form likely to remain a talking point heading into Mackay.
The Bigger Picture
Australia must win in Mackay to level a two-Test series that has already produced one of the most shocking results in recent Test history. Bangladesh’s Darwin victory was their first Test win on Australian soil and gave them a chance to claim a historic series victory with another win in Mackay.
For Australia, the stakes could not be clearer. A second consecutive defeat would hand Bangladesh a series victory in Australia. It would also affect Australia’s position in the 2025-27 World Test Championship standings, with the precise impact depending on the result and the other matches in the cycle.
The Great Barrier Reef Arena, making its Test debut, will host what is now a must-win fixture for the home side.
Australia Squad (Second Test vs Bangladesh, Mackay, August 22–26): Pat Cummins (c), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Matthew Renshaw, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Beau Webster
In: Matthew Renshaw
Out: Jake Weatherald
