MELBOURNE : It was a debut three years in the making but Josh Inglis made it one to remember with a thrilling century against Sri Lanka to give Australia another selection headache in the lead-up to the World Test Championship. While Usman Khawaja's epic 232 at the age of 38 dominated day one on Thursday in Galle, Inglis's blazing 102 off 94 balls put him in rare company in Australian cricket as the nation's third player to score a century on debut in the subcontinent. The wicketkeeper-batsman follows former captain Michael Clarke, who scored 151 against India in Bengaluru in 2004, and Shaun Marsh, who made 141 - also against Sri Lanka - in Pallekele in 2011.
Inglis, who turns 30 in March, has been involved in Australia's white-ball set-up since early 2022 and was part of the triumphant 50-overs World Cup team in India the following year. However, he has had to bide his time for a chance in tests, carrying the drinks during tours of Pakistan and Sri Lanka in 2022. Incumbent wicketkeeper Alex Carey has been impossible to budge, leaving Inglis with the task of proving his batting alone is enough to justify selection.
With Australia's place in the World Test Championship final secure after their 3-1 series win over India, selectors had the luxury of shaking things up against Sri Lanka and took a punt on Inglis, who slotted in at number five. In front of his thrilled parents in the stands, Inglis repaid the selectors by racing to his century in 90 balls, the fastest test ton by a.
