Last Updated on 3 months by Charbel Coorey
Australia’s top order struggles, coupled with the upcoming Ashes, ensures plenty could be riding on the first few rounds of the 2025/26 Sheffield Shield. The season kicks off on October 10, with four rounds to be played before the first Ashes Test begins on November 21 in Perth.
Players all over the country will be looking to put their hand up for Ashes selection. This is especially the case for top order players as there is uncertainty around Usman Khawaja, Sam Konstas, Marnus Labuschagne and Cameron Green.
5 players to watch out for in the early rounds of the 2025/26 Sheffield Shield season
Matt Renshaw
Australia have been searching for an opener to partner Usman Khawaja for some time. The fact Matt Renshaw hasn’t done enough in recent seasons is a disappointment given the potential he showed earlier in his career.
Renshaw, who has played 14 Tests, has a modest 1,180 runs at 31.05 in the past three seasons.
Now is the time to deliver for the talented left-hander. He is currently 29 years of age and should be approaching the peak of his career. If he makes a strong start to the season for Queensland, selectors may be swayed to pick him if a position is available.
Jake Weatherald
30-year-old Jake Weatherald had a season to remember at the top of the order for Tasmania in 2024/25. The left-hander hit the most runs of any player (906) at an average of 50.33, including three fifties and three centuries.
How hard the selectors think of picking Weatherald depends on his early season form plus potentially who his opening partner would be for Australia. If Konstas continues to struggle in the West Indies and Usman Khawaja finds some form, Weatherald could be a good foil for the latter as he had a strike rate of 68.33 last season.
Nathan McSweeney
Nathan McSweeney had a taste of Test cricket in arguably the most challenging of circumstances. Elevated to opener, McSweeney felt the full force of Jasprit Bumrah in last year’s Border-Gavaskar Trophy. He was dropped – harshly – after three Tests.
While McSweeney didn’t make the big runs, he can occupy the crease. He is not a flashy player by any means, but can wear bowlers down with his solid technique and temperament.
Such an approach could work well in the Ashes. Keeping the England quicks out in the field for long periods can result in Australia coming out on top.
However, McSweeney had a quiet second-half of the 2024/25 Sheffield Shield season with the bat as he led South Australia to their first title in 29 years. If he is to convince the selectors to move away from Cameron Green and keep Marnus Labuschagne at bay, he will need to produce a superb start to the 2025/26 season.
ALSO READ: Analysis – Why Cameron Green is struggling at number three
Kurtis Patterson
Could Kurtis Patterson finally play a Test after averaging 144 in his first two? Patterson was outstanding last season, hitting 743 runs at 57.15 in eight Shield games for New South Wales. He also scored a century for Australia A against England Lions in January.
Patterson’s numbers represent a remarkable turnaround. He began last summer in grade cricket after a lean run of form that cost him the New South Wales captaincy.
If he starts the 2025/26 Sheffield Shield season from where he left off, who knows what could come of it.
Jason Sangha
Another contender for the number three position is Jason Sangha. The 25-year-old enjoyed a magnificent finish to the 2024/25 season, playing a central role in South Australia winning the title.
In just six games, Sangha struck 704 runs at an average of 78.22. This included three fifties and three hundreds in 12 innings.
Should he start the 2025/26 Sheffield Shield season in similar fashion, he will be firmly on the radar of the selectors.
Outside chance: Marcus Harris or Cameron Bancroft
This seems unlikely. However, coach Andrew McDonald confirmed Harris and Bancroft are regularly “in the conversation” in terms of featuring in the Test side. If either plunders runs in the early rounds of the Sheffield Shield, anything is possible.
Bancroft’s history may work against him. After all, he hit 1,723 runs combined in the 2022/23 and 2023/24 seasons at an average of 53.84, and still wasn’t selected. Also, Bancroft confirmed he has never spoken to Andrew McDonald in an interview with BBC’s Stumped podcast earlier this year. But, a big start to the new season can give the selectors something to think about.
The other contender is Marcus Harris. The left-hander enjoyed a great stint in the County Championship for Lancashire back in April and May. He struck 77, 34*, 147, 24, 121, and 43 in his first three matches. Like Bancroft, he will need a huge start to the Shield, as well as at least one of the two incumbents – Khawaja or Konstas – to be left out.
