Jake Weatherald

Jake Weatherald, an aggressive left-hander, became the latest among Australia's revolving door of openers in the post-David Warner era when he featured in the 2025-26 Ashes series on the back of a standout domestic season for Tasmania. He was not an overnight success, but played a role alongside the promoted Travis Head, his 72 at the Gabba offering a glimpse of the potential before England's quicks worked him over.

It had been quite a journey for Weatherald to reach Test level, his debut coming just a couple of years after he couldn't even break into the Tasmania side having made the move from South Australia. He spoke openly about mental health challenges which brought doubts over his career, but he was transformed during the 2024-25 season when he made over 900 runs.

Weatherald had initially made headlines when in his debut first-class season in 2015-16, he made a mile-a-minute fifty for South Australia against Victoria in the Sheffield Shield final. It set the seal on a fine season where Weatherald was the most prolific domestic run-scorer under the age of 25 that season and was runner-up for the Bradman Young Cricketer of the Year award.

The next two seasons were standouts too. In 2016-17, in his second successive Shield final, Weatherald made 60, but again Victoria proved too strong. The following season he topped 750 runs, averaging a touch under 40. The following season was not quite so stellar, if only by his own high standards, but he did shine in T20, making 383 runs in Adelaide Strikers' BBL-winning campaign, capped off with 115 off 70 balls in the final against Hobart Hurricanes.

In November 2019, Weatherald and Henry Hunt put on 293 for the first wicket, a South Australia record, in a Sheffield Shield match against Tasmania; Weatherald's share was 198. That season and the one that followed, were also productive ones for him in the BBL, where he made over 400 runs apiece for Strikers.