Australia drop Weatherald; Matt Renshaw called up for Mackay Test

Australia have made a swift change to their top order, with Jake Weatherald dropped following their nine-wicket loss to Bangladesh in Darwin. Matthew Renshaw has been called up and is likely to partner Travis Head at the top of the order in Mackay.

Weatherald's first Test since being handed a national contract in April produced scores of 23 and 0. He edged behind in the first innings before chopping on in the second, bringing his career average after 12 innings to 20.36.

The decision reverses Weatherald's reward for performances alongside Head during Australia's 4-1 Ashes triumph. He had made technical adjustments to address the LBW and bowled dismissals that troubled him against England. "Yeah, there was some change to Jake in terms of where he lined up and his movement patterns," McDonald said.

"It's always hard to critique small sample sizes on whether it holds up [at international level]. He dragged one on and drove at one in the first innings and was dismissed; it's probably harder with that smaller sample size to say, 'Yep, that's going to hold up under pressure'. But there was some change though."

Renshaw's credentials make him the most straightforward replacement. He was the best-performing Sheffield Shield opener last season, producing three centuries in 10 innings while averaging just under 50. He has also scored two first-class hundreds at Mackay, which will host its first Test.

His international experience is another factor. Renshaw has 14 Tests behind him, although his most recent appearance came in Delhi three years ago, when he was batting in the middle order.

Australia do have another option in Josh Inglis. The 31-year-old remains part of the 13-man squad and, although he has generally batted at No.5 or lower in Sheffield Shield cricket, has previously been identified by the selectors as a potential top-order option. Inglis has shown he can handle the role, having opened for the Cricket Australia XI against England Lions last November with scores of 40 and 125 not out.

Meanwhile, Marnus Labuschagne's position at No.3 is another issue for the selectors. He managed only 1 and 31 in Darwin and has gone without an international hundred for almost three years. He averages 25.23 across his last 42 Test innings. McDonald acknowledged the need for greater output from the No.3 batter, while pointing to the manner in which he had batted before his second-innings dismissal.

"Up until the point he got out [in his second innings against Bangladesh], you'd sit there and say [that] he was looking good, moving well, clipping off his pads and getting back through the ball down the ground," said McDonald.

"It's easy for me to sit here and try to defend that. But ultimately, it's 31. It's not a big score. He's lacked runs. He feels that. We feel that. We're working incredibly hard as a coaching group… we've got to get the best out of Marn as well.

"He's had a bit of a lull. He knows that he's gone to work. I think we saw some change in the way that he played, so that's good. Some of that work that he had done feels as though it's stuck up under pressure."