Matthew Renshaw’s return to Australia’s Test side comes at a stage of his career that bears striking similarities to Michael Hussey’s path to the Baggy Green.
Renshaw is set to return for the second Test against Bangladesh in Mackay, with Alex Carey indicating that the Queensland left-hander will replace Jake Weatherald at the top of the order. When he walks out on Saturday, Renshaw will be 30 years old, just 13 days younger than Hussey was when the former Australia batter finally made his Test debut in 2005.
Unlike Hussey, however, Renshaw already has 14 Tests behind him. His return comes after several years of uncertainty over his place in Australia’s batting line-up.
Renshaw burst onto the Test scene with 184 against Pakistan at the SCG during the 2016-17 season. The innings raised hopes that he could become a long-term option for Australia, but he was dropped before the following Ashes series.
Further opportunities followed, including recalls in 2018 and 2023, but he was unable to secure a permanent place.
His recent first-class form has changed the picture. After modest Sheffield Shield returns in the previous two seasons, Renshaw scored three centuries in 10 innings during the opening half of the 2025-26 season. He has also produced four first-class hundreds for Australia A and the Prime Minister’s XI since 2022-23.
Hussey’s route to Test cricket followed a similar pattern. After losing his Western Australia place in 2003, he gradually rebuilt his career, improving his Shield average over the next two seasons before earning his Test opportunity. His prolific county career and strong performances in limited-overs cricket also strengthened his case.
Renshaw has followed a comparable route through white-ball cricket. He earned a surprise place in Australia’s T20 World Cup squad earlier this year and impressed in the middle order during his ODI opportunities. He also struck an unbeaten 89 from 52 balls against Bangladesh in a T20I series in June.
Carey believes Renshaw is now better equipped for the demands of Test cricket.
“He’s definitely matured as a cricketer,” Carey said. “You move into your thirties, and you learn a lot about yourself and the game.”
Renshaw’s challenge is now to turn another opportunity into a lasting Test career. Hussey’s example offers plenty of encouragement. After making 1 and 29 in his first Test, Hussey scored his maiden century in his second and went on to make more than 6,000 Test runs.
