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They have had their moments in most games, but still find themselves at the bottom of the points table

Sruthi Ravindranath25-Oct-2025Almost. It’s the word that has defined Bangladesh’s campaign at the 2025 women’s ODI World Cup. They almost defended 178 against England. They almost beat South Africa but dropped catches under pressure. They almost chased down 203 against Sri Lanka.The what-ifs are many, but for a team playing only its second ODI World Cup, Bangladesh have punched above their weight. Yet, despite the fight, they find themselves at the bottom of the points table – even below winless Pakistan – level on number of wins with New Zealand and Sri Lanka, all three teams having split points because of washouts.The gulf between bat and ball has been evident throughout their campaign, and it surfaced once again against Sri Lanka. After their bowlers restricted Sri Lanka to 203, Bangladesh’s batters stumbled, dragging the chase deep but falling short in the final over. After that match, captain Nigar Sultana had admitted to her side’s struggles in crunch moments but refused to attribute their narrow losses to luck.Related

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“It’s really heartbreaking, definitely, because we came here to win,” she had said. “This kind of match, I think we played three games against England, South Africa and now Sri Lanka. I think we need to think about it and we have to learn so many things. [In] this kind of situation, [we should learn] how we should calm our nerves and how we should get runs. And definitely, the young players have been playing in the middle at crucial moments. So, I think they should learn.”It’s definitely our mistake. It’s not just one match; this is the third time it’s happened like this. I think we’re failing to finish properly in the final moments. We shouldn’t need to take it to the last over while chasing this kind of target. That’s our fault. Maybe there were some miscalculations, and we couldn’t use some bowlers properly in the middle overs.”Bangladesh’s batting has shown promise in patches – five different players have scored fifties, including Nigar’s fighting 77 against Sri Lanka – but frequent collapses and a glut of dot balls have proved costly. Their dot-ball percentage of 66.6 is the second-highest in the tournament, underlining their struggles.They began their campaign by comfortably chasing down 130 against Pakistan, but fell in a heap against England, New Zealand and Australia to post totals below 200. Against South Africa, Shorna Akter’s 35-ball 51 – the fastest half-century in women’s ODIs for Bangladesh – took them to 235, but they dropped several chances in the end to lose the match. Against England, they got their catching right, but the third umpire’s decision to reprieve Heather Knight proved costly in the end.There have been a few heartbreaks for Bangladesh at this World Cup•ICC/Getty ImagesOne of the factors behind the inconsistency has been their limited preparation. Since early 2024, the only top-ranked side Bangladesh have faced is Australia, back in March last year. Apart from the World Cup qualifiers in April, their build-up featured no international cricket, only domestic training camps. Nigar stressed the need for more exposure against top-ranked opposition. In the current FTP running from 2025-29 though, they are set to face India, Australia, England, South Africa and New Zealand across formats.”The more competitive cricket you play, the sharper your skills get,” she said. “In ICC tournaments, we face new situations that we don’t often see in bilateral series, where we play the same opponents again and again. A stronger domestic setup or league system would help a lot. If we get to play more competitive games at home, our chances of losing tight matches will go down for sure.”But there have been other positives too, with their young bowling attack standing out. Fast bowler Marufa Akter, just 20, whose hooping deliveries troubled batters in the powerplay, has impressed many. Their spin department, led by veteran Fahima Khatun, has also shone through the performances of youngsters Rabeya Khan (20) and 18-year-old Shorna, who together have taken more wickets than Khatun. Against Sri Lanka, both youngsters were preferred over Khatun – a call that paid off, as they shared five wickets between them.”Among the eight teams in this World Cup, we’re the only one with three legspinners and all three are different types,” Khatun had said before the Sri Lanka match. “As a senior, I always try to collaborate with them and encourage them. They’re very young and crucial for our team. I often tell them, ‘You’re better than me; I have a lot to learn from you.’ Having three different kinds of legspinners is a big advantage for us.”Shorna Akter have been one of the standout players for Bangladesh in the tournament•ICC/Getty ImagesAt home, Bangladesh’s players feature in two main domestic tournaments, the Women’s Dhaka Premier League and the National Cricket League, both often played on spin-friendly, low-scoring pitches. On the eve of the India game, batter Sobhana Mostary acknowledged that while the level of competition can vary, the domestic structure is slowly improving.”Last ODI World Cup in 2022, only Pinky [Fargana Hoque] scored fifty but in this tournament, you can see around six or seven fifties,” she said. “So, I think that’s an improvement. Scoring a fifty is not easy; I also got my first fifty in this World Cup. If I can keep this consistency, it will help me in the next series. Similarly, [Sharmin Akhter] Supta has been performing well for a long time.”Now our domestic tournament is going good. In [Dhaka] Premier League among ten teams, six teams are good enough but four teams are like 50 – 50. Five years ago, two-three teams were good. But now five to six teams are good. Before, most players came from North Bengal, but now we have players from Chattogram and Sylhet as well. Maybe their parents are also watching the matches now. I think most people in Bangladesh are following this World Cup, which is a great inspiration for us. It motivates us to fight against stronger teams. That’s it, everyone is watching and supporting us, and that means a lot.”Bangladesh are yet to see one of their players feature in either the WBBL or WPL. Mostary hopes that changes soon.”In WPL, every time we send our name, they are not [okay to] pick a Bangladeshi. But we are thinking about this tournament – like Marufa [is] doing very good in Indian conditions. And Rabeya is also very bowling good this tournament. So maybe in the upcoming WPL they are [picked].”Bangladesh will leave the tournament with more heartbreaks than wins, but also with signs of growth. Among bottom-ranked sides, few have shown as much promise, or left as many almosts behind.

At a time of transition, India’s young squad proved themselves more than capable of filling the shoes of their former storied colleagues

Greg Chappell05-Aug-2025Test cricket has a way of echoing through the decades. For those of us who played in or witnessed defining moments in cricket history, certain performances trigger memories of past turning points – moments when a team doesn’t just win a match but announces a new identity. India’s extraordinary comeback victory in the final Test of the 2025 series against England at The Oval was just such a moment.To level the series 2-2 after being 2-1 down, against the odds, at one of England’s most iconic venues (and one of India’s happy hunting grounds!) was not merely a case of square scores. It was a declaration of purpose. It brought to mind, quite vividly for me, Australia’s 1972 Ashes draw under Ian Chappell. The last match in that series, also played at The Oval, also to level a series, sparked a generational shift in Australian cricket that would shape the coming decade.The parallels are too strong to ignore.Related

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In 1972, Australia arrived in England in a transitional phase. Bill Lawry had departed. Graham McKenzie, Ian Redpath – names synonymous with the preceding era – were gone. A young side, led by my brother, stood on the brink of the unknown. When we won the final Test to draw the series, with Dennis Lillee announcing his ascension to the Australian fast-bowling throne, we didn’t just save face. We established a tone – one of aggression, unity, and belief – that underpinned the golden era of the 1970s.India in 2025 finds themselves at a similar inflection point. Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, R Ashwin are all absent. Their replacements didn’t just fill gaps; they filled their boots and went on to create new ones. Shubman Gill, entrusted with the captaincy, brought a calm authority and youthful assertiveness.At times he allowed the game to drift and appeared to change the bowling by the clock, but he will grow quickly in the role if supported appropriately on and off the field. His use of the meagre bowling resources allotted was quixotic at times, but he now has the status to be more assertive at the selection table.To me, Kuldeep Yadav not being picked was incomprehensible, as he is a potential match-winner. Fixing errors like that, and embarking on a continuing search for bowling depth, can make this a formidable team.Gill’s own form was nothing short of spectacular. Yashasvi Jaiswal played with flair and maturity. Rishabh Pant added spark and steel, KL Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja brought experience and consistency. I will be surprised if Washington Sundar doesn’t establish himself as the team’s premier allrounder, who I expect to play in excess of 50 Tests.India’s win at The Oval echoed that of the paradigm-shifting Australian side of the 1972 Ashes•Getty ImagesAnd then, there was Mohammed Siraj.The win at The Oval, like Australia’s in 1972, was more than a statistical result. It was a statement. India’s young team – much like Australia’s back then – has shown that it is not waiting to inherit greatness. It is intent on creating its own legacy.But no one embodied that transformation more than the proud warrior Siraj.To bowl more than 185 overs in five Test matches over six weeks in any conditions is a physical, mental and emotional marathon. To do so with consistent intensity, while carrying the attack in the absence of Jasprit Bumrah for stretches, is bordering on heroic. Siraj’s final-innings spell at The Oval – culminating in nine wickets for the match – sealed the game. But it was what led to that moment that truly stood out.Siraj began the series tentatively. He lacked rhythm and confidence and bowled mixed lines and lengths. Questions were rightly asked about his readiness to lead the attack sans Bumrah. But with each Test, he grew. The body language changed. The shoulders didn’t slump; they squared. The run-up lengthened, the wrist snap sharpened, the eyes burned even brighter. He didn’t just gain form – he grew in stature.By the final Test, he was no longer the support act. He was the main event. His dismissal of Zak Crawley in the second innings – a ball that tailed late and hit the base of off – was the kind of delivery that legends produce, not just fast bowlers. It wasn’t just about speed or swing. It was about understanding, execution, precision.Siraj’s story is one of resilience – physical, mental, and emotional. Here’s a man who has carried grief publicly, who wears his emotions on his sleeve, and who channels all of it into his cricket. He bowled like a man possessed, but also a man who had learned the art of pacing himself, of understanding the moments that matter.What impressed me most wasn’t the effort – which was immense – but the evolution. He started as a bowler with passion. He ended as a bowler with passion purpose. That’s the difference between a player and a leader.Grit, not glory: Brook must learn to play the situation at hand•Getty ImagesI don’t think it is unfair to say that, despite the many wonderful batting efforts, Siraj was the main reason that India was competitive in the series.To be fair, he has turned in many fine performances before, at the MCG, the Gabba, Perth, Lord’s, Cape Town and Birmingham, but what he did at The Oval was his true coming of age. With or without Bumrah, he is ready to be the spiritual as well as actual leader of Gill’s attack.While India’s win will rightly dominate the headlines, England’s own journey in this series presents a cautionary subplot – one embodied by the brilliant but mercurial Harry Brook, whose virtues I have extolled publicly before.Brook has the tools to be one of England’s finest batters, arguably their most destructive, in the modern era – a worthy successor to Joe Root. He has time, range, confidence, and that rare gift of making batting look effortless. But cricket, particularly Test cricket, is not just about shot-making. It’s about judgement. About recognising when the moment demands attack – and when it demands restraint.Brook’s dismissal at The Oval, with the game finely poised, was symptomatic of the conundrum that is facing the England setup. The “Bazball” philosophy – of fearless, attacking cricket – has revitalised their Test side. But it cannot become an excuse to avoid doing the hard yards. At 301 for 3, all England needed was for one batter to hold his nerve. To absorb pressure. Brook went for the glory shot – and perished.There’s nothing wrong with positivity. But positive cricket doesn’t mean reckless cricket. It means confident, calculated risk-taking. Brook is emerging, and he will learn. But to become the match-winner England need, he must embrace the grind along with the glamour. Root didn’t become England’s most prolific batter by always playing pretty strokes. He earned it with grit. Brook will need to do the same if he is to fulfil his vast potential.This India-England series will long be remembered not just for the result, but for the theatre. The subplots. The redefinition of roles. Both sides were tested – physically, tactically, emotionally. But it was India who emerged as moral victors. They won clarity. Identity. Purpose.Much like Australia at The Oval in 1972, India have drawn a line in the sand. They’ve told the cricketing world: “We are here. We are ready. And we are building something.”For a sport that thrives on cycles and legacies, the echoes from The Oval – from 1972 to 2025 – may prove to be uncanny.The baton has been passed. Siraj, Pant, Jaiswal, Washington and Gill, and this fearless young Indian team are itching to run with it.

The former Sri Lanka cricketer will be at the helm of the men’s side, with his first major assignment being the Asia Cup in September

ESPNcricinfo staff28-Jul-2025Former Sri Lanka Test cricketer, Kaushal Silva has been appointed the new Hong Kong men’s head coach.His appointment comes ahead of Hong Kong’s Asia Cup campaign, where they will play the tournament opener on September 9 against Afghanistan.Silva played 39 Tests between 2011 and 2018, and has had coaching stints in Sri Lanka, England and Australia since 2019, when he finished up as a player. But this will be the 39-year-old’s first time at the helm of an international side.Related

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He was a prolific wicketkeeper-opener in first-class cricket: in 209 matches, he scored 13,932 runs with 41 hundreds, three of which were for the Test side.Burji Shroff, the chairperson of Cricket Hong Kong, China, said in a press release that the appointment aligned with the board’s plans: “Kaushal’s dedication to nurturing and developing talent resonates with our vision for the future of cricket in Hong Kong. We believe that under his guidance, we can not only elevate our competitive standing but also promote the sport within our community.”Silva said his “focus will be on instilling a strong work ethic and a winning mentality amongst the senior squad and working to identify and nurture fresh talent for continued growth”.Hong Kong’s last assignment was the recent Asia Pacific Cricket Champions Trophy, played in Singapore, where they lost to Malaysia in the title round.With Silva’s appointment, they will be looking to further their credentials in Group B of the T20 Asia Cup, where they will also face Bangladesh and Sri Lanka in the first group stage.

Gio Reyna earned a surprise start and made an immediate impact for the U.S. men’s national team, scoring inside four minutes against Paraguay during the November 2025 international window. The goal was his first for the USMNT since March 2024 and came in his first appearance since March 2025, marking a key step in his return to the squad.

Getty Images SportReyna’s goal highlights a promising return

The goal was created by wing back Max Arfsten, who advanced down the right side before sending a chipped cross into the box. Reyna rose above defenders to head the ball off the underside of the crossbar and over the line, giving the USMNT an early advantage. The strike came after an extended period in which Reyna had been limited by injuries and reduced club minutes.

AdvertisementWatch the goalGettyImpact on team dynamics and attacking options

Reyna’s return adds an experienced attacking option to the squad as the U.S. continues preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. His goal highlighted his ability to link play and contribute in key moments after an extended absence from the national team.

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Getty ImagesLooking ahead to World Cup preparations

Following the match against Paraguay, the USMNT will face Uruguay on Nov. 18.

Australia’s fortress. Venue of India’s arguably greatest Test win. Australia lost here just this year. India’s struggling batters face an early-season pitch. The storylines are endless, as always, at the Gabba

Alagappan Muthu12-Dec-2024In 2003, Sourav Ganguly’s men ended up on the receiving end of a pretty rough time in Brisbane. None of the top three could get into double-digits in their first innings, only one did, barely, in their second. “Indian summer over,” said the newspaper headline, reporting on that tour game ahead of the four-match Test series.The Gabba has offered sterner welcomes over the years, particularly in the days when the game was played on uncovered tracks. England resorted to inverting their batting line-up – Alec Bedser moved from No. 10 to No. 5 and Denis Compton from No. 4 to No. 9 – in a chase of 193 and it still wouldn’t work. They lost that series 4-1. Australia don’t use this place to say “welcome”. They use it to say “beware”. This is where they would usually meet visiting teams for the first Test and break them right off the bat. No acclimatisation. But maybe subjugation.”By the end of this tour, we will find out how good we are, individually and as a team,” Ganguly said 21 years ago. He was leading his team into a fortress. At the time India had won only three out of 29 Tests in Australia, and when they slipped to 127 for 4 responding to 323, there was a crushing sense of the status quo.Related

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Then an Indian left-hand batter decided to do something about it and history was made. Ganguly made perhaps his finest century to help draw that first Test in the tour of 2003-04. His 144 remains the highest score by a visiting captain at this ground. India retained the Border-Gavaskar Trophy on that tour. They backed up 2001 with 2003. The Gabbatoir, which was meant to whittle the opposition down into selfs, both doubt and loathing, became the scene of a revolution. The wet weather even switched sides.India have had a fair few highs in Australia since then (and one abysmal failure). Perth 2008 which was a saga of its own. Adelaide 2014 which is fondly remembered despite it being a loss. All of it led to 2018 and peaked three short years later.Back in the present, KL Rahul, after wrapping up a batting session that took over an hour, navigated the cold, steel, underground labyrinth of walkways that connects the nets with the main ground and there he just sat, in the dugout, with the ground unfurled at his feet. He wasn’t part of the win in 2021; he had sprained his wrist at training at the MCG and had to go home. But one of his best friends was present. Mayank Agarawal had walked alongside Rishabh Pant as they took a lap of honour around the ground. Rahul would have heard all the tales from that night.The final play of the first Tied Test – where else but at the Gabba?•ESPNcricinfo LtdJasprit Bumrah was injured too but he was still there. And he is once again here. He began his net session imitating R Ashwin. He called out a carrom ball and bowled it and almost hit off stump. That groin trouble that left him on the floor for several minutes in Adelaide seems to have passed. He bowled full tilt at the nets. Several audible grunts confirmed that. And just in case anyone’s curious, Rahul’s play-leave also frustrates his own bowlers.India feel good here. Washington Sundar, who has named his dog after the Gabba, might be featuring in a video put out soon by the BCCI, walking around the ground. Either that or he wanted a mental snapshot because after the Ashes Test next year, they’re going to redo the Gabba into a multi-sport centre in preparation for the Olympics in 2032.All the history that this place contains. The first ever tied Test in 1960. Selector Don Bradman and captain Richie Benaud having a famously casual conversation over tea, about Australia not giving up. The greyhound track installed in the 1970s and removed in the 1990s. Kevin Mitchell Sr running onto the field with his groundstaff behind him in a tractor to the bewilderment of the Australian and the New Zealand players in 1989 and saving a one-day match from being lost to rain. Nasser Hussain doing that thing at the toss.The Gabba: fast-bowlers’ paradise•Getty ImagesAustralia love it here. Allan Border, who has a statue at the Gabba, a Sheffield Shield win after retiring with Queensland, a home in Brisbane and also a stadium in his name in the city, used to say, “The wickets are hard and this traditionally suits Australian cricketers who are reared on hard surfaces – on malthoid, cement and matting. They are new-ball wickets with the ball coming on and they suit our cricket best.”There have been blips lately – West Indies took Australia down here just this year in a pink-ball Test – but that was played in January. This one against India is being played at the start of the season, when the pitch is a lot fresher. A recent Shield game, albeit a day-night one, had 15 wickets falling on the first day. The Gabba is not for the faint of heart. It never has been.

Wolves have now been heavily linked with making former Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag their next boss, following the recent sacking of Vitor Pereira.

Wanderers are on the lookout for their next manager, with Pereira relieved of his duties after last Saturday’s 3-0 defeat away to Fulham in the Premier League proving to be the final straw.

A host of names have been mentioned, including former Wolves striker Robbie Keane and Middlesbrough manager Rob Edwards, and the latter hasn’t exactly ruled out the idea of taking charge at Molineux.

“I can understand it with my links to the club but my full focus is on this job here, which is a brilliant job, and trying to turn things around for a really big game against Leicester. It’s hard for me to comment on speculation and anything other than Middlesbrough. We’ve done a decent job so far, and all I care about is trying to win tomorrow.”

Now, Ten Hag’s name has also been thrown into the hat, with a new update suggesting that he is among the front-runners to be Pereira’s successor at Wolves.

Wolves make contact with Ten Hag's agent

According to Algemeen Daglblad [via Sport Witness], Wolves made contact with Ten Hag’s agent on Monday over potentially taking charge of the Premier League club.

It is claimed that the Dutchman is “seeking revenge”, seemingly in terms of rebuilding his reputation, following doomed spells at both United and Bayer Leverkusen but he has several other options at unnamed clubs.

Ten Hag is certainly a manager whose stock has fallen significantly since he guided Ajax into the semi-finals of the Champions League back in 2019, due to struggling in his last two jobs.

For that reason, there is a risk in Wolves appointing him, with some supporters understandably worried that he is on the wane as a manager, rather than on the way up like Edwards.

Bayer Leverkusen

3

1.33

Man Utd

128

1.84

Ajax

215

2.34

Utrecht

111

1.74

FC Bayern II

72

2.14

Go Ahead Eagles

39

1.72

Then again, the 4-3-2-1-playing and Eredivisie-winning former Ajax boss is a talented manager, with Steve McClaren even likening him to Sir Alex Ferguson, in terms of his attention to detail.

“The only other one I would have seen do that? That would have been the gaffer [Ferguson]. His great strength lies not just in his attention to detail and organisation. He has a clear philosophy of how he wants to play football; the environment he wants to create. The player progression programme was a key part of Twente. He has done that at Ajax too, for each player from the academy to the first team.”

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Ultimately, the decision lies with the Wolves board, but Ten Hag does feel like a risky choice at this point in his career, despite the praise and success that have come his way in the past.

Better than O'Neil: Wolves looking to hire "insanely talented" English boss

Unlike in years past, Arsenal are very well represented when it comes to England squads these days.

The likes of Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka are guaranteed starters, while a couple of other players tend to make it into the squad, like Eberechi Eze.

The former Crystal Palace star featured in both games this international break and certainly made his case for a place at the World Cup.

However, his form on the domestic front has been somewhat middling, and if he’s not careful, he could eventually be replaced by one of the brightest talents in the country.

Eze's start to life at Arsenal

Now, to make things clear, Eze is an extraordinarily gifted footballer and has not been bad for Arsenal this season.

However, it would be fair to say that, aside from a goal against his old side and a few moments of magic, he has not exactly hit the ground running just yet.

For example, in 15 appearances for the Gunners, he has scored two goals, one of which was against Port Vale, and provided three assists.

Those are not really the numbers of a marquee summer signing, no less one who managed to produce a sensational tally of 25 goal involvements in 43 games for a significantly worse team last year.

However, there might not be too much to worry about, as according to FBref, he still ranks in the top 3% of attacking midfielders and wingers in the league for shot-creating actions coming from his own shots and the top 5% for goal-creating actions stemming from live passes, per 90.

In other words, while the output has been underwhelming, the 27-year-old still has some promising underlying metrics, which suggest that as he becomes more familiar with the team, the goals and assists should come.

After all, while his performance against Albania was nothing to write home about, fans were reminded just how technically magnificent a player he is with the goal he scored against Serbia.

In all, Eze will more than likely come good for Arteta and Co, but if he doesn’t, Arsenal might already have his perfect long-term replacement.

The Arsenal gem who could replace Eze

In this situation, many fans might instantly think of Ethan Nwaneri, as the 18-year-old already has plenty of first-team experience and is surely set for an England call-up at some point in the next year or so.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

However, while he might one day become a regular starter in the first team, he has already been somewhat usurped as the most exciting prospect at Arsenal, if not in the country, by Max Dowman.

Yes, it is certainly still early days for the 15-year-old dynamo, but he has been considered one of the next big things for some time now.

For example, in September of last year, talent scout Jacek Kulig boldly proclaimed him as the “most exciting prospect” he had seen “since Lamine Yamal.”

Then, just two months later, Hale End expert Will Balsam described him as “one of the greatest footballing brains that’s ever come through Hale End” and “the biggest talent in England.”

That might sound like a lot to say about someone who was just 14 at the time, but it probably wasn’t as thoroughly the season he proved time and time again that he is a special talent.

Appearances

23

Minutes

1945′

Goals

19

Assists

5

Goal Involvements per Match

1.04

Minutes per Goal Involvement

81.04′

For example, in 23 appearances, totalling 1945 minutes, he racked up a tally of 19 goals and five assists, which comes out to an average of 1.04 goal involvements per match, or one every 81.04 minutes.

Then, on the pre-season tour, he made it clear that, be it junior or senior football, he was more than capable of, in the words of analyst Ben Mattinson, “humiliating” opposition players with his incredible close control.

It was this technical brilliance that saw him win a penalty against Leeds United on his Premier League debut, and then again, why he started and shone against Brighton & Hove Albion in the League Cup.

If that wasn’t enough, the Chelmsford-born teen then became the youngest player in Champions League history against Slavia Prague, and was called a “miracle player” by defender David Zima.

Finally, if fans needed any more convincing that the Hale End gem is truly special, then recent news about him already being considered for England’s U21S should do just that.

Ultimately, Eze is safe from losing his place for now, but if he doesn’t start scoring and assisting more, then he could be usurped by Dowman within a season or two.

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Beau Webster, Australia’s incumbent Test allrounder, has four fifties in seven Tests, but knows the No. 6 spot might not be his forever

Andrew McGlashan18-Aug-20252:25

Webster’s 63 steadies Australia

Beau Webster is ready to have to prove himself all over again in a bid to secure a spot in Australia’s side for the Ashes, despite having produced a collection of vital innings early in his Test career.Webster has scored four half-centuries in seven Tests, starting with a critical one on debut against India at the SCG, where Australia clinched the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. He followed that by being the team’s top-scorer in the World Test Championship final against South Africa at Lord’s, and by making fifties in Barbados and Grenada in very tough conditions against West Indies. Alongside the runs, Webster has claimed eight wickets with the ball, and added strength to Australia’s slip cordon.However, despite those strong returns, there is a world where he sees himself squeezed out of the Test XI by the time England arrive for the Ashes. That could happen if Cameron Green’s return to bowling remains on track, and the selectors decide to move Green back down the order rather than keep him at No. 3, where he finished strongly in the West Indies.Related

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“When you’re at the top level, you’re fighting to hang on to your spot,” Webster told reporters in Hobart, having returned from a county stint with Warwickshire, for whom he played two more matches in this season’s County Championship after the West Indies tour.”With all the wonderful cricketers around the country, and especially a guy like Cameron Green, he batted at the top of the order [in the West Indies], and didn’t bowl. He’s obviously going to be back bowling this summer, which is going to put a bit more pressure on my spot at No. 6 as the allrounder. But I welcome it.”I feel like I’ve been in this position before a lot in my career, where I’ve got to score runs to either go to the next level or stay on the team. It’s certainly not unfamiliar. I’m looking forward to once again showing what I can do at [Sheffield] Shield level, and hopefully, be lining up in that first Ashes Test in Perth. It’s going to be a massive summer. I’m sure the team’s going to change a little bit throughout those five Tests. I’m just going to do everything I can to make sure I’m there for all five.”There is plenty to play out before the Test squad is selected, and then a final XI determined for the opening Ashes game on November 21. Moving Green back down the order would need two top-order players to make a compelling case for selection, given there is a likely vacancy as an opener alongside Usman Khawaja after Sam Konstas’ struggles against West Indies.Webster could play four Sheffield Shield matches before the opening Test – Australia’s squad is expected to be named after round three – and if he picks up the form that propelled him into the Australia set-up in the first place, it will leave the selectors with some tough decisions about whether they can fit two allrounders in the XI.”There’s no hundred next to my name, which I would have loved to go on with one of those [half-centuries]”•Cricket Australia via Getty Images”It’s going to be an intriguing first couple of rounds with potentially all the big boys playing a few of the Shield games, too,” Webster said. “There’s going to be some really strong Shield teams out there, which only promotes better cricket. So it’s going to be exciting for our boys to line up against a number of Test cricketers in the first couple of rounds as well.”It’s always exciting when the team’s not quite settled, and there’s a few opportunities for people to put their hand up and try and get a spot in that first squad.”Webster’s only regret from his Test career so far is that none of his half-centuries have been converted into three figures, even though the runs he has scored have often been worth more given the conditions.”I feel like I’ve scored some tough runs,” he said. “At the same time, there’s no hundred next to my name, which I would have loved to go on with one of those [half-centuries]. I felt like I was batting as good as I have done in a number of those innings. I feel like I’ve got all the tools to succeed this summer in the Ashes with what England are going to potentially bring.”