Australia’s current crop of players are largely, especially in red-ball cricket, beginning to reach the twilight of their careers.
While the Ashes presents another opportunity to watch the decorated stars who have largely been mainstays of the team for over a decade, already selectors and fans are casting an eye on the next batch of youngsters earning their stripes at the professional level.
There’s no expectation that the listed players below will become regulars in Australia’s Test team in the near future, but with the uncertainty of looming mass retirements, opportunities may arise for the most recent generation of professional cricketers to stake their claims for future selection.
Some of the players listed will likely get exposure in international white-ball cricket well before they’re considered for baggy greens, but for this exercise we will look at some of the names selectors will hope to see thriving at domestic level this summer.
None of the players listed are older than 22, and only one has any international experience. Some are just starting out at domestic level, but the promise of early results and their performances at U-19 level for Australia has put an extra spotlight on them for both fans and selectors.
From the bowler turned batting protégé to the Shield final phenom, here are just a few of the names to keep an eye on across the next few summers as the next generation emerges before our eyes.
Cooper Connolly
The only Test-capped player on this list and already becoming a white-ball regular, Connolly will have his eyes on a long career in the baggy green in the near future.
While he’s yet to hit a professional century, the stylish left-hander clearly has fans in the selectors committee, and his average of 45.09 in his 12 first-class innings is promising.
Throw in a healthy strike rate of 64.15 and the recently turned 22-year-old has the makings of a damaging middle-order batter. Connolly is also a handy left-arm orthodox bowler, and while his numbers domestically and internationally don’t project him as a true all-rounder, he could develop into a handy rotational bowler.
Connolly is an excellent fielder and has leadership experience with the Australian U-19s, and with more domestic cricket under his belt should begin to push for more regular red-ball opportunities in the near future.
Cooper Connolly. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)
Hugh Weibgen
A winning captain at the U-19 World Cup, previously achieved by Mitch Marsh, Weibgen burst onto the scene this summer with a mature century against Western Australia.
Walking in at 4-38, Weibgen struck an unbeaten 115 from 94 balls to seal a 323 run-chase, demonstrating immense maturity from the young batting all-rounder.
He recently made his first-class debut too, against Tasmania, and forecasts as a versatile batter and handy off-spinner.
At U-19 level, he averaged a healthy 47 in Y-ODIs and 30 in Y-Tests while taking handy wickets, and under the tutelage of senior Queensland batters like Marnus Labuschagne and Usman Khawaja, his red-ball game should continue to grow.
While Weibgen projects as a better white-ball player, his technique and temperament seem destined to translate to the longer form with experience and time in the middle.
Will Salzmann
A couple of years ago, Salzmann would be on this list for his aggressive bowling. Now, the New South Welshman is a bonafide batter with runs on the board and enviable versatility.
On his List A debut for NSW in 2022, he batted at eight and was primarily selected for his ability with the ball but come 2025 he’s won Player of the Match honours as a batsman against Western Australia on a spicy WACA deck and recently struck a fine half-century opening the batting at the Gabba.
In a transformation reminiscent of Cameron Green, the promising bowler has become a prime batting prospect.
Salzmann could perhaps be one of the best true all-rounder prospects to emerge lately, and if he can settle into a batting role for NSW and continue to work on his bowling its not hard to see him eventually earning an opportunity at the highest level.
Ollie Peake
Peake could be the most talented of all the players on this list – the left-handed middle order batsman has burst onto the scene this season on some difficult batting surfaces.
His 70 not out in a fourth innings chase alongside bowler Fergus O’Neill against South Australia was an innings of maturity beyond his years, and the Geelong-born youngster continues to hit runs on spicy wickets. While he’s a few years away from any realistic selection consideration, Peake has a tight technique and is lauded for his maturity and temperament amongst Victorian cricket circles.
He will need a few more seasons to hone his craft and hit more consistent runs but already he looks organised and calm at the crease for a batter so inexperienced. Victoria look set to select Peake across formats all summer, and learning from his test capped teammates Marcus Harris and Peter Handscomb will surely accelerate his growth.
Harry Dixon
Sam Konstas isn’t the only shot making young opener in the country, and the left-hander from Victoria looks like he could rival or partner the Boxing Day showman in years to come. While he hasn’t pieced together any significant runs for Victoria this summer, he’s been tasked with a thankless job of opening on the country’s most bowler friendly wickets.
His form in U-19 level alone is enough to have high hopes for the 20 year-old, with an average of 73.16 in Y-Tests including two centuries and 40.57 in Y-ODIs enough to warrant a position on Australia A’s recent touring squad to India.
Dixon has been around the Melbourne Renegades camp for a few years now too, and his exposure to elite preparation and standards should translate into performances befitting of his talent soon.
This summer is the first time Dixon will get a prolonged run for Victoria, and as he grows comfortable at the level there’s some expectations he could push for greater honours sooner rather than later.
Mahli Beardman celebrates a wicket during the ICC U19 Men’s World Cup 2024 Final. (Photo by Sydney Seshibedi/Gallo Images)
Mahli Beardman
At U-19 level, the West Australian tearaway was Player of the Match in the victorious final. Since then, he’s been called in as cover for the senior team in white ball cricket and once again made the T20 squad for matches against India.
At domestic level, he is yet to debut at first-class level, but his performances in List A cricket show he’s already destined for bigger things.
In just five matches Beardman has taken 12 wickets at an average of 17.75, and alongside fellow youngster Albert Esterhuyzen has been key in rejuvenating West Australia’s fast bowling brigade.
He has the tools to thrive in red ball cricket, and once he has the conditioning and experience at Shield level, don’t be surprised to see him quickly pushing for selection once the likes of Hazlewood, Boland and Starc begin to retire.
Callum Vidler
Pace is often one of the biggest question marks over domestic bowlers eyeing off international selection. It’s a major knock against the likes of reigning Shield Player of the Year Fergus O’Neill – but its certainly not a knock against Vidler.
The Queenslander is not lacking for speed, often clocking over 140km/h even as a teenager. In his fledgling career so far he’s taken 12 wickets in three first-class matches, and five wickets in his two List-A appearances.
Both have been at stellar averages of 28.25 and 20.40 respectively, but his economy rates of 4.55 and 6.80 indicate the speedster has work to do in control and consistency.
Concerning too is the recent back injury that ruled Vidler out of the recent Australia A tour and the start of the domestic summer, but fast bowlers take time to physically cope with the demands of professional cricket, especially in the longer format.
Vidler’s strong performances in last season’s Shield final, highlighted by a 4-64 where he dismissed the likes of Alex Carey and Nathan McSweeney demonstrates the best of his abilities when fit and firing.
He’s a player that selectors will desperately hope finds continuity as he physically matures as he appears to have all the hall-marks of an international red ball bowler in the years to come.
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