Melbourne [Australia], December 23: Uncapped Australian all-rounder Beau Webster discussed his abilities as an all-rounder and said that he had bat and ball skills that are transferable to both red-ball and white-ball formats ahead of the fourth India-Australia Test.
Both teams will play the eagerly awaited Boxing Day Test with the goal of securing a significant lead, since the series is now tied at one. Mitchell Marsh, an all-rounder who has bowled 23 overs in three Test matches so far and claimed three wickets, has been replaced by Webster in the team.
During the pre-match news conference, Webster said, “I do not know,” in reference to the prospect of playing the Boxing Day Test. Tomorrow is our primary training day. Let’s see how the lads do. We already have an all-round player, and he remains there. Marsh is a good player, a wonderful talent. Across all forms, he has had some success. If anything goes wrong, I’m merely here to cover him.”
Webster, who was named Marsh’s cover in the team before to the second Test match in Adelaide, has also been playing for the Melbourne Stars in the Big Bash League (BBL), amassing 50 runs in three games with a high of 28* so far. He said that being among a bunch of athletes with such experience makes him feel wonderful.
“Being on the Australian squad is undoubtedly thrilling. The last several weeks have been enjoyable for me. Being a part of it is beneficial. In order to play some BBL cricket, I have been in and out of the aircraft. I’m thrilled to attend the Boxing Day Test. We’ll see whether I play here or return to the Stars after the coin flips. The group is engaging and a terrific place to be around,” he remarked.
Regarding his skill set, Webster said that he can use his bat-and-ball abilities in both red-ball and white-ball forms. He said that he has been playing at number six for his state side, Tasmania, in a “counterpunching” position for the last several years and that he likes to swing and hit the top of off-stump with the ball.
It involves having both mental and physical acuity. Physically, it’s not too difficult. I want to seize it with both hands if the opportunity presents itself. I have played counterattacking and batting at number six for Tasmania in Shield over the last two to three years. I can counterpunch and bring us to a respectable total down there since I don’t have to deal with seams as much. It’s one of my advantages. I aim to run the ball back into the right-handers and strike the top of the off-stump when I bowl. If there is swing, I can utilize it too,” he said.
Webster, who began his career as an off-spin bowling all-rounder, said he is happy of his newfound ability to bowl at a medium tempo, which he acquired during the COVID-19 epidemic.
“I am glad to have developed that aspect of my game over the last four years. I think that was one of my better choices. Getting my body used to it has required a lot of effort. It’s just as crucial as my hitting. You can help with the ball if you have trouble with the bat, and vice versa,” he said.
Additionally, he said that he acquired his fast bowling skills since his side, Tasmania, required an all-round player after the loss of players like Luke Butterworth and James Faulkner. His proficiency with the ball also allowed the squad to play spinner on a full-time basis.
“After James Faulkner and Luke Butterworth, an all-around player was required. We really needed an all-around player. I was in the middle of the order, established at number six. The team could have played a full-time spinner if I could have wheeled out some good medium pace. With the ball, I thought I could influence games. I was assisted by technical personnel and former Tasmania player and coach Adam Griffith,” he said.
According to Webster, he can bowl 40 overs each game and 25 overs every day.
“I don’t believe that my physique is limited when it comes to rapid bowling. I can bowl for extended periods of time and don’t strike the crease as hard as other elite pacers. For Tasmania, I’ve done it,” he said.
Webster has amassed 5,297 runs at an average of 37.83 in 93 first-class games, including 12 hundreds and 24 fifties in 159 innings, with a top score of 187. Additionally, he has taken 148 wickets with a best total of 6/68 and an average of 37.39.
Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Sam Konstas, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Jhye Richardson, Steve Smith (vc), Mitchell Starc, Beau Webster, Pat Cummins (c), Sean Abbott, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Travis Head (vc), and Josh Inglis
Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant, Sarfaraz Khan, Dhruv Jurel, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep, Prasidh Krishna, Harshit Rana, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah (vc), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Devdutt Padikkal, Shubman Gill, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Virat Kohli, and Shubman Gill. Navdeep Saini, Khaleel Ahmed, Yash Dayal, and Mukesh Kumar are the reserves.
