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Self-belief: Why Weatherald never gave up on Test dreams
Lachlan Geleit • December 2nd, 2025 11:04 am
Australia’s newest Test batsman, Jake Weatherald, never gave up on his international cricket dreams across his up-and-down journey to the top.
The 31-year-old made his debut in the first Ashes Test in Perth, out for a second-ball duck before scoring an important 23 as the Aussies claimed an eight-wicket victory in a low-scoring game.
While Weatherald banged the door down during the 2024/25 Sheffield Shield season for Tasmania, scoring the most runs in the competition with 906 runs @ 50.33, he’s come from a long way back in the last five years to represent his country.
The left-hander took mental health breaks from the game in 2020 and 2022 and was even dropped by South Australia during the 2023/24 season before moving to Tassie, where he found his best form.
While he’d never represented his nation before entering his thirties, Weatherald was always sure that runs and a clean run of form would put his name up in lights.
“I think from a cricketer’s point of view, the age thing does have a little bit of impact at times,” Weatherald said on SEN WA Breakfast.
“We’re probably blessed that as batters, you probably have a lot longer in the game than potentially being a bowler or an athlete in other codes of sport.
“But at the same time, my belief in myself was always quite high, and I felt as though if I could string a couple of good years together, which I was able to do, that I'd be able to put my name up for selection.
“I felt as though I was in a really good space when I started making consistent runs in First Class cricket and doing it as an opener.”
Those runs clearly came last season with Tassie, and after putting those performances next to his name, Weatherald thought there was a genuine opportunity for him there.
Now, Australian Test player No. 473 isn’t keen on giving up his spot in the XI anytime soon.
“Once I did that, I thought, there's a good chance of playing here. The opportunity came up with Davey retiring, and after a few boys struggled a little bit at the top, it sort of just all opened up,” he added.
“Now I've got my opportunity, and I don't know how long it's going to last, but at the same time, I'm going to be here as long as I possibly can be.
“My hunger to play Test cricket's going to be there for a long time.
“It did at times feel like it was a long way away, but cricket's one of those things where if you can find a formula and find a way of going about it, you definitely can break in.
“It took me 10 years to get there, so it takes a while, but that's the great thing about playing for Australia, it’s arguably the hardest team in the world to play for at the moment.
“That's why it's so special.”
Weatherald looks set to open the batting for Australia against England in the second Test in Brisbane.
That clash at the Gabba begins on Thursday. Listen to every ball LIVE on SEN – your home of cricket.
