SportsPosted at: Jun 24 2025 2:40PM


Pride myself on it: Josh Inglis accustomed to switching roles

Barbados, June 24 (UNI) Australia wicketkeeper-batter Josh Inglis hasn't yet been told where he
is batting in this week's first Test against the West Indies but nor does it really bother him.
Having batted in different spots – five and six – in his two Test innings to date, Inglis has also shuffled up and down the order in Australia's white-ball teams, occupying every spot in the top seven in his 61 international matches across all formats.
And for Western Australia's Sheffield Shield side he has batted everywhere from three to eight except No.4, with his best returns coming from No.6 where he averages almost 55 from 18 innings with four centuries.
He ascertains that he will line-up between three and five in Wednesday's series opener in Barbados (midnight Thursday AEST), but he says that could also change depending on the pitch conditions
and the situation of the match.
The West Australian hit a sensational century on Test debut against Sri Lanka in January from No.5 before sliding down a spot in the second Test of the series when left-hander Alex Carey went in ahead of him to partner Steve Smith to ensure it remained a left- and right-hand batting combination.
"I think it's just because I have done it, I feel comfortable going into different positions," Inglis told reporters after Australia's main training session at Bridgetown's Kensington Oval on Monday.
"I've batted at the top in white-ball cricket and in the middle, so I've become accustomed to moving around a fair bit and something I pride myself on."
After nailing his opportunity in his long-awaited Test debut having travelled with the squad for the best part of the past four years before earning his Baggy Green, Inglis accepts his omission for last week's World Test Championship final loss was the result of a "conditions based" call.
The 30-year-old replaces the injured Smith for the first Test against the Windies after the star batter dislocated his finger in the WTC final, while Sam Konstas also returns to the XI for omitted opener Marnus Labuschagne.
Smith is a chance to return for the second Test in Grenada from July 3 if he can tolerate batting while wearing a split on his right little finger. Australia announced the two changes last Friday and Inglis said the longer lead in had been beneficial to ensure he was ready to go.
"With 'Smudge' (Smith) getting injured there was an opportunity for someone else to come in," Inglis said.
"I took a lot of confidence from (from Sri Lanka); my debut Test match, it was nice to go out there and get a hundred.
"But it's only one game, so I've got to start again from here."
Without Smith or Labuschagne, Inglis is also set to feature in a new look slip cordon for Australia, sandwiched between the towering figures of Beau Webster at second slip and Cameron Green in
the gully.
"It will depend on who's bowling … (but) I'm not sure who else we have to go in there," Inglis said.
"Beau will go two, 'Greeny' in the gully and I'm like a bail between two stumps with those two, it should be good viewing on camera.
"I really enjoy my fielding actually and I've done a fair bit of it. I only started keeping when I was 14
or 15 so I grew up doing a lot of fielding and it's something I really enjoy as I always like to be in the game."
UNI BM
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