MELBOURNE: It was a debut three years in the making but Josh Inglis made it one to remember with a thrilling century against Sri Lanka to give Australia another selection headache in the lead-up to the World Test Championship.
While Usman Khawaja’s epic 232 at the age of 38 dominated day one on Thursday in Galle, Inglis’s blazing 102 off 94 balls put him in rare company in Australian cricket as the nation’s third player to score a century on debut in the subcontinent.
The wicketkeeper-batsman follows former captain Michael Clarke, who scored 151 against India in Bengaluru in 2004, and Shaun Marsh, who made 141 – also against Sri Lanka – in Pallekele in 2011.
Inglis, who turns 30 in March, has been involved in Australia’s white-ball set-up since early 2022 and was part of the triumphant 50-overs World Cup team in India the following year.
However, he has had to bide his time for a chance in Tests, carrying the drinks during tours of Pakistan and Sri Lanka in 2022.
Incumbent wicketkeeper Alex Carey has been impossible to budge, leaving Inglis with the task of proving his batting alone is enough to justify selection.
With Australia’s place in the World Test Championship final secure after their 3-1 series win over India, selectors had the luxury of shaking things up against Sri Lanka and took a punt on Inglis, who slotted in at number five.
In front of his thrilled parents in the stands, Inglis repaid the selectors by racing to his century in 90 balls, the fastest Test ton by an Australian on debut and the second-fastest by a debutant from any nation.
Only India’s Shikhar Dhawan has been quicker, reaching the milestone in 85 balls against Australia in Mohali on the way to an incredible 187 off 174 balls on his debut in 2013.
Inglis’s innings will give coach Andrew McDonald and Australia’s other selectors plenty to ponder as they try to nail down their best 11 for the WTC final against South Africa at Lord’s in June, as well as the Ashes in the next home summer.
Inglis adds to a logjam of players hoping to cement a place, including all-rounder Beau Webster and teenage opener Sam Konstas, who was dropped for Galle.
All-rounder Cameron Green’s return is also on the horizon as he recovers from spinal surgery.
England may wonder what they have missed out on, with Leeds-born Inglis having grown up in Yorkshire before moving to Western Australia in 2010 with his family. Inglis said on Thursday that his heritage was always a talking point in matches against England.
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“Whenever we play England everyone asks me what anthem I’m going to sing,” he said of his teammates.
“You can’t choose where you’re born and it’s just one of those things. It’s part of my story and I think the gags will always hang around.”