Matt Renshaw, the reserve batter for Australia, will be granted permission to participate in the Brisbane Heat’s BBL qualifier against the Sydney Sixers on Friday evening on the Gold Coast. This development deprives the Australian Test team of a concussion replacement for the third day of the Adelaide Test against the West Indies without a provisional arrangement in place for twenty-four hours.
Renshaw was named the sole substitute batter in Australia’s 13-man selection for the inaugural Test; however, he was destined to shoulder the load, as Steven Smith replaced the departed David Warner at the outset of the innings and Cameron Green entered the order at No. 4.
Renshaw is scheduled to fly from Adelaide to Gold Coast on Thursday evening and return on Saturday morning, as confirmed by Cricket Australia.
In recent years, this is one of the rare occasions Australia has been without a batting concussion substitute at the venue. However, the Australians are certain they can quickly transport Renshaw back from Gold Coast in the extremely unlikely event of an accident.
Australia has previously required a concussion substitute twice in Tests, but never at home. In 2019, Marnus Labsuchagne was notably the first individual to assume the role in Lord’s Test cricket. Labuschagne was an ODI substitute for Cameron Green when he was struck with a concussion in South Africa last year. The only other Test concussion substitute for Australia was Renshaw, who replaced Warner in last year’s second Test against India in Delhi.
