Jhye Richardson has been picked in Australia’s squad for the fourth Test against England, nearly four years after his last appearance in the format, following a prolonged and carefully managed return from shoulder surgery.
With Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon ruled out for the remainder of the series, Australia are likely to make multiple changes to their XI for the Boxing Day Test after having already secured the Ashes.
Richardson trained with the Test squad ahead of the third match in Adelaide, though he was not officially named in the playing group. His inclusion comes just over a year since he was last named in one, for the Boxing Day Test against India. Days later, he opted for shoulder surgery to address a long-standing issue that had repeatedly interrupted his career. The injury, which involved recurrent dislocations, had affected not only his bowling but also his throwing and fielding, at times forcing him to limit even basic celebratory movements. He was subsequently ruled out of all cricket for close to a year.
Why has Jhye Richardson made a Test comeback after nearly a year?
Selectors, however, had long maintained that Richardson remained part of their medium-term red-ball plans, provided he could return to fitness and build workload gradually. That process began in grade cricket for the Fremantle Cricket Club before progressing to matches for a Cricket Australia XI and Australia A against England Lions. Across the Australia A fixture, Richardson bowled 26 overs and took five wickets, showing his ability to bowl longer spells.
Richardson missed Perth Scorchers’ opening match of the Big Bash League season due to being with the Test squad, before returning for the record-breaking match against Brisbane Heat at the Gabba. He struck with his first delivery, dismissing Colin Munro, and had Matt Renshaw caught on a no-ball.
The 29-year-old made his debut against Sri Lanka in 2019, but has played just three Tests since, claiming 11 wickets at 22.09. His last Test appearance came during the 2021 Ashes, where he picked up 5-42. However, he has battled constant shoulder and hamstring injuries since then, and the rise of Scott Boland has made it tough for him to break into a well-settled pace unit.
During the 2021-22 season, Richardson impressed selectors and coaches with his ability to generate pace and movement without relying on height, regularly operating in the high-130s and touching the mid-140s. His capacity to swing the ball late, particularly with the new ball, wowed Marnus Labuschagne and head selector George Bailey during a Sheffield Shield clash, with Western Australia’s fast bowling coach Matt Mason saying: “What he does really well is he doesn’t get excited by conditions. He just sums it up, realises when the ball is doing more, he has to try less. He just has the ball on a string.”
In late 2017, Richardson was recorded to be bowling at 148kmph to Steve Smith, and was the fastest in the round of Sheffield Shield games, beating Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood.
Richardson will have to compete for a place in the XI with Michael Neser - who took 5-42 at Brisbane - and Brendan Doggett in the Test that begins on Friday. His inclusion is also aimed at Australia building a fast bowling reserve for the future, with both Hazlewood and Cummins in the midst of injury concerns, and Starc turning 36 next month.
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