In recent weeks, Josh Inglis has experienced a whirlwind of events—a fractured finger, a dash back to Perth, and a late recall to fill the shoes of Australia’s top batsman since Don Bradman. His efforts have now paid off with a second Test century, sparking intriguing debates among Australia’s selectors.
Displaying remarkable composure, Inglis secured his century with an audacious reverse sweep against Simon Harmer, scoring from the outset: “I’d seen point was up and I was like, I’ve got to take this opportunity,” he reflected. “I obviously played it a lot the previous day so I just had to get out of my system and get to three figures as quick as possible.” Inglis was eventually dismissed for 102, edging a ball behind off Harmer and ending a partnership of 185 runs with Alex Carey. Yet, Australia couldn’t quite push South Africa into a weaker position. “I realised it was a bloody good wicket, so I was like, it’s really important that we get some sort of lead here,” he admitted. “Still a bit disappointed we didn’t get more this morning. Probably me and Kez [Carey] in that partnership, if we could have got another 50 that would have been really nice.”
Inglis, still saddled with a protective guard on his wounded finger from an incident in the first ODI against South Africa last month, knew he might be needed for action in Cape Town as Steven Smith faced his own battle with a troubling neck issue. Actual confirmation of his participation only came shortly before the toss, after Smith decided his neck’s restricted mobility wasn’t up to the task, despite a desperate nerve-block injection.
“Probably not ideal preparation,” admitted Inglis. “I was always in my head preparing to play just in case.”
During the second evening, Inglis revived Australia’s innings alongside Carey, stabilising the team after a wobbly 185 for 4 start. As his innings unfolded, Inglis described the play as “old Test match cricket, attritional” and initially felt that he “couldn’t score”. However, he soon found his rhythm, taking calculated chances against Harmer and later blazing against the second new ball. Initially struggling at 19 off 52 balls, he remarkably finished day two with 85 from 111.
“There was no reason to try to push on or press on,” he observed. “The partnership was building really nicely and then I just saw an opportunity before that second new ball, where the spin was on, to be able to play a few shots and get some boundaries away.”
A misfield by Gerald Coetzee on the third day, coupled with an on drive against Wiaan Mulder, pushed him into the 90s. His off-side play was particularly prolific, aligning most of his boundaries from cover to deep third, underscoring his adeptness at playing spin—a skill first showcased during his debut in Sri Lanka last year where he immediately struck a century.
Matt Renshaw praised him the prior night, noting, “I think he’s got a lot of different options. He’s obviously got both sweeps, he can hit down the ground, he can hit over midwicket. I think that’s the positive and it doesn’t really give them anywhere to bowl.”
Despite the promise shown, Inglis’s Test career remains in its infancy with sporadic opportunities. He previously stepped in for Smith in Barbados and had the chance during two Ashes Tests, yet failed to convert promising starts, although he did claim a crucial run-out of Ben Stokes at the Gabba without his keeping gloves. His adaptability will be closely monitored especially as he’s the first Australian to accumulate two centuries across every format. The selectors face a busy November, especially with England’s upcoming visit leading into a four-Test series against New Zealand, where deciding how best to utilise Inglis’s talents will be key.
