‘Got to get him in’: Who are Australia’s next cricket stars set for national debuts?

Australia’s ageing cricket team is dominating another home summer, but now it’s time for selectors to address a glaring dilemma.

Australia’s Test cricket team is on track to complete another dominant home summer against weaker opposition, but there’s a sense this generational group is towards the end of their run.

Two consecutive series losses at home to India are the only knock on this team, which hasn’t lost an Ashes series since 2015 and has the 2021 T20 World Cup and the 2023 ODI World Cup trophies in their cabinet.

But it’s an ageing team. Even after David Warner’s retirement, only two members of Australia’s XI are aged under 30 — Marnus Labuschagne is 29 and Cameron Green is 24.

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It begs the question, who are the next young players who can crack into Australia’s cricket team?

There had been talk that West Australian fast bowler Lance Morris could make his debut against Pakistan or West Indies, or a young opener could be given five Tests to prove his worth ahead of tough series against India and England.

Morris, nicknamed the Wild Thing after ex-Australian slinger Shaun Tait, can bowl deliveries at speeds of 150 km/h.

Former Australian all-rounder Brendon Julian told news.com.au he would have picked Morris against the West Indies, and hopes he makes his debut in the two-Test series against New Zealand in February.

“I would have probably rested one of the quick bowlers in this series for Lance Morris,” Julian said.

“I think we’ve got to get him into Test cricket a bit earlier. I’d definitely take him to New Zealand and play him on those pitches, that’d be a real good learning curve.

Lance Morris could be Australia’s next fire breathing fast bowler. (Photo by Will Russell/Getty Images)

“He’s the type of bowler that we should be bowling. They’ve made a move by getting Cam Green into the side. I wouldn’t be changing the side too much because the guys in the side wants to play Test cricket and you’ve got to let them play. 

“Test cricket is under enough pressure as it is, you don’t want a depleted Test side. We’re taking the bold move by playing as many good players as they can, but I definitely thought they could have rested one of the quicks and played Lance Morris.”

The most recent players to make their Test debuts for Australia are spinners Todd Murphy and Matt Kuhnemann, who were fast tracked to the baggy green on raging turners in India last year.

Scott Boland famously took 6/7 at the MCG in 2021-22 Ashes and is the last fast bowler to debut for Australia.

Jhye Richardson has long been pegged as a future stalwart of the Australian attack, but unfortunately the 27-year-old has been consistently riddled by injuries the last few years after playing three Tests.

And spare a thought for Michael Neser, who is arguably the best domestic player who can’t get a look in when it comes to national selection because he’s stuck behind Green and Mitch Marsh in the all-rounder pecking order.

Elsewhere, batters Matt Short and Jake Fraser-McGurk are two young players who have lit up the Big Bash and could follow Warner’s path to the Australian team.

Short, 28, made his T20I and ODI debuts last year and has been the most consistent batter in the past two BBL seasons for the Adelaide Strikers.

“Matt Short, he’s awesome,” Julian said.

“There’s no doubt he should be in the T20 side. He could probably captain it as well. He’s had an unbelievable season for the Strikers. The Strikers were disappointing at the start and middle of the competition but they’ve come home really strong.

Matt Short has dominated the Big Bash in recent years. (Photo by Sarah Reed/Getty Images)

Short made his Aussie debut last year. (Photo by Pankaj Nangia/Getty Images)

“If he played for Australia, he could certainly play in the middle order in the 50 over game. Is he good enough to play at the top of the order in the 50 over game? He could be.

“I think he could be a little bit loose in the 50 over game so you’d have to slide him down the order.”

Julian said Short has the potential to become a fine Test player, but would need to tighten up his technique to suit the longest format of the game.

“In terms of Test cricket, I think he’d have to do a lot of work on his technique,” he said.

“But anyone who’s got the ability to turn it on in a T20 game in a packed house in pressure moments, then you’ve got the ability to change the game. To me, I think it’s much easier if you play Test cricket with a great technique, to go into the shorter formats.

“David Warner’s the exception and he (Short) could follow along the David Warner lines, but he’d have to tighten up his technique. That’s fine. That’s not hard to do.

“But certainly for T20 and the 50 over game he could do it. He bowls handy off spin and really good fielder so he’s got all the attributes, no doubt about it.”

Jake Fraser-McGurk is the next big thing. (Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images for Cricket Australia)

He can hit sixes for fun. (Photo by Kelly Defina/Getty Images)

Fraser-McGurk shapes as the next big thing in Australian cricket after a breakout domestic season for South Australia and the Melbourne Renegades.

The 21-year-old was named in the official BBL team of the tournament after smashing a 29-ball century for the Redbacks in October. It’s the fastest ever List A hundred.

With his powerhitting and excellent hand-eye coordination, Fraser-McGurk has drawn comparisons to Warner and Glenn Maxwell.

Mike Hussey said on Fox Cricket: “He’s an incredible talent. He reminds me of a very young Glenn Maxwell.

“Just no fear, doesn’t care what the situation of the game is. Just willing to back himself, take the opposition on.

“I hope he continues playing in that vein. I hope he doesn’t think as he gets older and more experienced, ‘I’ve got to play with more responsibility now’.

“I think he’s at his best when he’s clear, free spirited, just backing his instincts.”

With the selectors seemingly reluctant to pick Cameron Bancroft and Matt Renshaw in the Test XI, it might soon be time to turn to some emerging stars of Australian cricket.

Originally published as ‘Got to get him in’: Who are Australia’s next cricket stars set for national debuts?