Brendan Doggett is set to make his Test debut for Australia, joining Scott Boland to form the first Indigenous duo to represent the country in a Test match. The pair will make history more than 157 years after an all-Indigenous Australian team toured England in 1868, though that team is not officially recognized as a Test side.
Doggett, now 31, made his first-class debut less than a year before being named in a Test squad in 2018, but did not play. He has since waited seven years for his chance, while Boland made his debut in the 2021 Boxing Day Ashes Test, taking a six-wicket haul. Both players discovered their Indigenous heritage as adults: Boland learned in his mid-20s that his grandfather was a Gulidjan man, and Doggett found out about his mother's Worimi heritage later in life.
Former Test player Jason Gillespie, who is also Indigenous, noted that Doggett and Boland do not carry a weight of expectation. 'They just want to go out there and show their pride and passion of rep Australia and that'll shine through,' he said. Gillespie highlighted Doggett's recent form, including a player-of-the-match performance in last year's Sheffield Shield final with an 11-wicket haul.
Gillespie acknowledged that cricket faces challenges in attracting Indigenous youth compared to football codes, but suggested that the faster-paced T20 format could help. Cricket Australia has also worked to promote inclusion through initiatives like the National Indigenous Cricket Championships and commemorative tours.
