By Prakash Nair 
Sydney, October 25: Matt Renshaw doesn’t scroll as much anymore. There was a time when he’d wake up, check every Sheffield Shield score, and start doing the maths on who scored what, who moved ahead, and where he stood in the pecking order. These days, he just shrugs. “I try and stay away from it,” he said quietly this week, speaking to ESPN Cricinfo. “It used to drive me mad.”
He’s not pretending he doesn’t care about the Ashes, of course he does. Every cricketer in Australia dreams of walking out with that baggy green in a home Ashes summer. But Renshaw’s learned the hard way that wanting it too much can be its own kind of trap.
Growing Up, Finally
He’s 29 now. A dad of two. The same bloke who made that fluent 184 against Pakistan as a teenager, then disappeared from the Test side before he’d had time to unpack his kitbag. The same player who spent years wondering what went wrong.
Fatherhood changed him. He talks about changing nappies and sleepless nights with the kind of half-laugh you only get from someone who’s done both. “You can’t think about selection when you’re chasing a toddler,” he said. It’s not false modesty; it’s perspective.
When he was younger, cricket was the only thing. Now it’s just one of the things, a big one, sure, but no longer everything.
The Long Way Back
It’s been a while since anyone called Renshaw the “next big thing.” That tag came early and stuck for a bit, then quietly fell away when his runs did. Fourteen Tests, a few half-centuries, that one big hundred, then the call stopped coming.
He went back to Queensland, did the work, made runs in the Sheffield Shield, and kept his head down. And now, with the Ashes coming up and Australia’s top order suddenly looking wobbly, his name is back in the mix.
This time, though, he’s handling it differently. “I can’t control it,” he said. “I just have to keep batting.” No big declarations. No social media posts. Just steady cricket.
Watching Khawaja, Learning Patience
Renshaw often points to Usman Khawaja as a kind of roadmap. Same state, same left-handed rhythm, same tendency to get written off too early. Khawaja rebuilt his career with patience and calm. Renshaw, by his own telling, is trying to do the same.
“He showed that the door’s never really closed,” Renshaw said. You can tell he believes it.
The difference between the two isn’t talent. It’s timing. Khawaja’s moment came late, and Renshaw hopes his is next.
A Quiet Game In Adelaide
Last week in Adelaide, Renshaw opened in the second ODI against India. Nothing flashy, a 55-run partnership with Matt Short, a few neat drives, a good start cut short when Axar Patel floated one that dipped and turned. Australia won by two wickets and took a 2–0 lead, but for Renshaw, the innings was more about rhythm than numbers.
He looked calm. That’s the thing people noticed. For a player trying to edge back into Test contention, looking comfortable matters more than anything.
The Selection Puzzle
The selectors have a small headache. Usman Khawaja is locked in, but the spot beside him is up for grabs. Sam Konstas hasn’t done enough. Marnus Labuschagne is still shuffling positions. And here comes Renshaw again, older, patient, consistent.
Reuters reported that his recent Shield hundred turned a few heads inside the selection panel. It’s not confirmation, but it’s something.
He’s not asking for favours. Just a fair look. And the quiet confidence that if it happens, it happens.
What Experience Teaches
Renshaw knows better than most how thin the line is between being a Test player and a domestic one. He’s lived that blur. The thing that’s changed, maybe, is that he’s stopped tying his self-worth to it.
When he was dropped, he admits, it stung. Every run felt like an audition. Now he just plays. There’s a looseness in his game that wasn’t there before not lazy, just freer. “You get to a point where you realise the game’s bigger than you,” he said once. “You just do your bit.”
Waiting, But Not Holding His Breath
There’s still a few weeks before the first Test in Perth. A couple of Shield games left. Enough time to make one last push. If the runs come, great. If they don’t, Renshaw will still be at training the next morning, bat in hand. That’s what you learn after years in the wilderness you keep showing up.
He’s hidden the cricket apps on his phone, switched off notifications, spends more time at home than in front of the TV. Maybe that’s how you come back: by stepping away, then walking back in quietly when the time’s right. For now, Matt Renshaw’s not chasing the game anymore. He’s letting it find him.
Stay ahead with Hindustan Herald — bringing you trusted news, sharp analysis, and stories that matter across Politics, Business, Technology, Sports, Entertainment, Lifestyle, and more.
Connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, X (Twitter), LinkedIn, YouTube, and join our Telegram community @hindustanherald for real-time updates.
Sports reporter covering cricket, football, and Olympic disciplines, with on-ground event experience.
- Prakash Nairhttps://hindustanherald.in/author/prakash/
- Prakash Nairhttps://hindustanherald.in/author/prakash/
- Prakash Nairhttps://hindustanherald.in/author/prakash/
- Prakash Nairhttps://hindustanherald.in/author/prakash/
