Jhye Richardson Eyes Comeback

Jhye Richardson has reverted to the run-up style that earned him three Test caps for Australia, hopeful that his struggles with recurring hamstring injuries are now behind him.

This week, Richardson successfully returned to competitive cricket, playing for the Perth Scorchers in the Top End T20 series in Darwin. His journey since making his Test debut in 2019 has been marred by injuries, with four separate hamstring issues arising since his last limited-overs international appearance in June 2022.

Initially, Richardson was slated to rejoin Australia’s white-ball squad last summer but was sidelined after suffering another hamstring injury during the BBL.

In the time since, he has focused on extensive net sessions, limiting his play to just one game in the IPL, followed by pre-season training in Perth and Brisbane.

Richardson explained that his primary goal has been to avoid injury-prone areas and build the physical resilience he has lacked in recent years. He mentioned that his body has held up well during his two games in Darwin, although he acknowledged that returning to competitive cricket presents a different level of intensity.

Before his most recent injury, Richardson had experimented with his run-up, trying to reach top speed closer to the crease to make his approach more efficient. However, he has since returned to his traditional run-up, where he accelerates to nearly 22.5kph earlier in his approach. Richardson shared that this change was part of an effort to eventually return to red-ball cricket but realised that his previous run-up had served him well for a decade.

Richardson admitted that the altered run-up left him feeling rushed and unbalanced, affecting his rhythm and overall performance. He has since worked extensively on his hamstring, allowing him to confidently revert to his original technique, which has proven effective in the past.

As Richardson regains fitness, he faces a pivotal few years in his career. Despite his injury history, selectors have kept faith in him, retaining him on the national contract list. With changes expected in the Test team—where all three frontline fast bowlers are over 30, and backup pacer Scott Boland is 35—Richardson is seen as a strong candidate to lead the attack in the future, having taken 11 wickets at an average of 22.09 in his three Tests so far.

Richardson told about the importance of staying fit, though he noted that any transition in the team is likely some time away. His immediate focus is on maintaining his fitness and being ready to play Test cricket whenever the opportunity arises, regardless of who is in the squad at the time.