Josh Inglis is set for a fresh challenge in Barbados next week, and his long-time Western Australia coach Adam Voges is convinced the 30-year-old can make the jump.
Cricket Australia, with uncharacteristic speed, confirmed on Thursday that Marnus Labuschagne had been left out of the first Test against West Indies, while Steven Smith’s elbow injury will rule him out of the series opener. Inglis and 20-year-old Sam Konstas were named as direct replacements; the selectors stopped short of locking in a final XI or a batting order.
Logic points to Konstas partnering Usman Khawaja at the top, allowing Cameron Green to stay at No 3 despite a lean World Test Championship final. If that happens, Inglis would be asked to bat No 4, leaving Travis Head settled at his preferred No 5 and minimising disruption when Smith is expected back for the second Test in Grenada.
Inglis has hardly lived in the top four in first-class cricket. Six innings at No 3 back in 2019 produced just 76 runs at 12.66, and his one visit to No 4 – a 44 for WA in 2015 – feels like ancient history. His best returns have come at No 6, averaging north of 50 with four hundreds while keeping wicket. Even his maiden Test century, in Galle two years ago, came from No 5.
That history concerns Voges far less than the player’s current form.
“Obviously being a wicket-keeper you’re generally batting down the order,” Voges said. “We did trial Josh up the order a few years ago, batting at three and wicketkeeping, which is always difficult thing to do.
“We did that because we felt technically he’s good enough to play that role and be able to do it. And I think without potentially the burden of having to take the gloves I think it’s a role he can fill. And I guess if you fast forward to what does the Test team looks over the course of an Ashes summer, I think these three Tests is a great audition for a number of players, and certainly hopefully for Josh, potentially in that role.”
Voges is equally relaxed about Green holding on to No 3. The 25-year-old’s promotion at The Oval was only the second time he had batted that high in any first-class match, yet WA’s coach has seen enough technique and patience to believe the move can work. “He’ll grow into it,” Voges told local reporters, adding that Green’s extra bounce with the ball remains “too handy to leave out”.
Inglis enters the Caribbean tour among the most prolific batters of 2025 across formats. Since January he has 1,125 runs at 64, striking at 71 in red-ball cricket and 140 in white-ball games. Teammate Ashton Turner, speaking after WA’s pre-season session, said simply: “He’s hitting everything out of the middle.”
The keeper-bat, though, will not be wearing the gloves in Barbados. Alex Carey keeps that job, freeing Inglis to focus solely on his batting – a point Voges believes could be decisive. “Taking the gloves off just lets him think about his batting and his batting only,” Voges said. “For someone going into an unfamiliar spot, that’s gold.”
Australian selector Tony Dodemaide hinted this week that a consistent opening pair is also a priority with an Ashes summer looming. Five different combinations have been tried in the last 12 Tests; a sixth seems certain now that Konstas has been fast-tracked. The youngster averages 55 in the Sheffield Shield and posted 189 against Queensland in February, but has yet to face a Dukes ball, let alone a Test attack overseas.
As ever, the numbers tell only part of the story. Leadership figures inside the Australian camp speak of Inglis’s calmness and clarity under pressure, qualities on display during that century on debut in Sri Lanka. If he can reproduce them at Kensington Oval, coaches may quickly forget his thin résumé at No 4.
West Indies, meanwhile, are keeping their own selection cards close to the chest. Kemar Roach has returned from injury and is expected to spearhead a pace attack that could feature the lively Shamar Joseph. Local pundit Roland Butcher thinks the hosts will “fancy unsettling a new-look Aussie top four”, but concedes Australia’s depth remains “formidable”.
The first Test begins next Wednesday. Australia will train in Bridgetown from Sunday, and all eyes will be on the likely Green-Inglis axis at three and four. It is not a pairing many predicted a month ago, yet, as Voges points out, “that’s what tours are for – seeing who’s ready when the chance comes.”
