Brendon Julian questions call to drop Jake Weatherald for second Test, says Matt Renshaw will be batting for his career in Mackay, latest news, opinion

Matt Renshaw’s abrupt call-up to face Bangladesh in Mackay will be the “last roll of the dice” for the Queenslander to resurrect his Test career, according to a former Australian great.

And the pressure on Marnus Labuschagne just increased substantially, too.

Selectors dropped a bombshell following the team’s disastrous nine-wicket loss in Darwin, with under-pressure opener Jake Weatherald sensationally axed mid-series after a pair of failures.

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With Josh Inglis the only reserve batter in the squad, selectors turned to the 30-year old Renshaw, who scored a Sheffield Shield-leading three centuries at 49.9 in the 2025/26 summer, to join Travis Head at the top of the order.

But having been dropped three times from the Test team since making his debut nearly ten years ago as a fresh-faced 20-year old building a reputation as a long-innings specialist, former Test all-rounder Brendon Julian believes his cards could be marked permanently if he can’t make good on his recall.

“This gives him an opportunity – he’s done it before,” Julian told foxsports.com.au.

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“I think what the selectors will be disappointed at is maybe him being giving chances and not having nailed it.

“I think this will be the last roll of the dice for Renshaw.

“They would love him to lock down that spot at the top of the order, and I just hope they give him a good run.

“He’s hung in there. Maturity is a big thing, it’s something you can step back and call upon.

“He won’t be overawed by the situation, so hopefully he can lock it down.”

While consensus has been mounting that Weatherald, whose return home to the Northern Territory ended in disappointment with scores of 23 and 0, was up against it to hold his spot in the team, Julian believes another chance was warranted.

Most surprising of all is the about-face from the team just 24 hours after coach Andrew McDonald said change would be the “easy option” as the squad looks to turn their form around.

“I was very surprised,” Julian said of the axe being swung.

“Even Andrew McDonald said at the press conference, of course he needs runs, of course he’s under pressure, but we don’t want to make a snap decision based on one Test match.

“I know he was under pressure, but I definitely thought they’d keep him for two Tests. It’s a quick decision to make.

“I’ve never seen in my time at the start of a summer – I know it’s winter – after the first Test, they’ve dropped a player already. I’ve never seen that before.”

But Julian believes silver lining to the axing is the opportunity for Renshaw to reacquaint himself with the rigours of Test cricket ahead of a blockbuster 12 months featuring up to 21 Tests.

His first challenge will be a three-Test series in South Africa in October, which will be broadcast live and exclusive on Fox Cricket.

The Western Australian great hopes he will be given the entire series, on top of the second Test in Mackay, to bed down his spot.

“I think he will get a good run – at least four Test matches before the start of the (home) summer,” Julian said.

“I think you’ve got to lock him in. You just can’t bring someone back for one Test match. Then where do you go?

“You don’t want to be chasing your tail: that just looks like your selectors don’t know what’s going on.

“They’ve made a pretty tough call, and now they’ve got to go ‘right, Matt Renshaw, this is your opportunity. Here’s four Test matches’.

“South Africa will be hard – that’s why I think they’ve made that call. They want him to get at least one Test before they go to South Africa.

“I’m fine with that, even though I was surprised by it.”

The move is the latest switch as Australian selectors continue to search for the right opening combination.

Since David Warner’s retirement in January 2024, seven different batters have been tried at the top of the order, with Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne briefly switching from the middle order and emerging guns Nathan McSweeney and Sam Konstas tried and discarded.

Julian believes returning to a tried and true opener, with Renshaw spending the bulk of his Shield career at the top of the order around brief stints lower down, is a “good move”.

“It’s warranted, it’s the right choice,” he told foxsports.com.au.

“He’s a genuine opener, I know that they’ve batted him down the order to fill a couple of gaps.

Long-term, an opener is a specialist position … and if he shows good signs, then that spot’s there for him as long as he wants it.

“There’s positives there that they’ve gone back to him again, that’s an opportunity for him.

“I think the experience of being dropped and being in and out of the side a couple of times will hold him in good stead.

“He’ll be relishing the opportunity.”

Weatherald’s axing leaves Labuschagne looking nervously over his shoulder, with Julian suggesting McSweeney could be in line to follow Renshaw back into the team should the out of form No. 3 not turn things around.

The Queenslander’s three-year Test century drought continued in Darwin with a Day 1 score of one, though coach Andrew McDonald said he was “looking good” in his second-innings 31.

Julian said the 32-year old would be under no illusions about how close he is to the door – and nominated McSweeney as the next gab off the rank.

“You can’t have your number three not scoring a hundred in the last three years,” he said.

“Your number three is normally your best bat in the side, he’s meant to be your best player, and the guy that’s been there is averaging 26.

“That to me is a worrying sign.

“If he misses out in Mackay, I doubt that he’s going to go to South Africa, and that would be a massive issue.

“I still think Nathan McSweeney is good enough – what I think might happen is if Marnus is in the gun, McSweeney will come in at three.

“You’ve got to keep it consistent … he batted at three for South Australia.”

Julian dismissed suggestions captain Pat Cummins erred in winning the toss and batting first in Darwin.

The call was questioned after Australia were routed for 198 with Bangladesh’s quicks, especially Hasan Mahmud, finding substantial seam movement, before the wicket flattened out as the Test went on.

“I still think Pat Cummins would go again and win the toss and bat again,” Julian said.

“I don’t think that was the wrong decision. The pitch wasn’t that bad. They weren’t facing the Windies in the 80s, come on!

“Bangladesh are ranked nine, and they had their main bowler out.

“They didn’t lose the Test because they batted first. Far from it.

“Bowling on a Test match pitch on Day 1, of course you’re going to have challenges.

“In hindsight, you get through that first session of play and you’re on your way.”

Australia heads to Mackay needing to win to square the series, and avoid an ignominious 1-0 defeat to the unfancied Tigers.

And Julian believes they’ll have their work cut out for them when the Test begins on Saturday – not only from the tourists, but from conditions in the north Queensland city.

“They’re saying it’s pretty flat,” he said of the Great Barrier Reef Arena pitch.

“Australia are going to have to make sure that there’s something in the pitch for everyone so they can get a result.

“They’re going to have to work hard.”