Jhye Richardson, the Australian fast bowler, has returned to the run-up that brought him success in Test cricket, hoping to put his injury woes behind him. Richardson has been plagued by hamstring injuries since his Test debut in 2019, suffering four setbacks since June 2022.
Despite his injury struggles, Richardson has been retained on the national contract list, and selectors see him as a potential leader of the Test attack in the future. With the current frontline quicks all over 30, Richardson’s fitness is crucial for Australia’s long-term plans.
Richardson has made a successful return to competitive cricket in the Top End T20 series in Darwin, playing for the Perth Scorchers. He has reverted to his traditional run-up, which sees him sprinting in at speeds of close to 22.5kph from earlier in his run-up.
“I’ve played two games [in Darwin], the body has been good,” Richardson said. “It’s obviously a different intensity playing competitive cricket again.”
Richardson believes that his previous run-up, which involved reaching top speed closer to the crease, may have contributed to his hamstring injuries. He is now focused on building resilience and avoiding problem areas.
“I’m trying to avoid problem areas and build that resilience that I haven’t had in the past couple of years,” Richardson said. “I have put a lot of work into my hamstring, so everyone is comfortable with the fact I can go back to what has worked previously.”
Richardson’s return to fitness is a significant boost for Australia, who are facing a transition in their Test team. With all three frontline quicks over 30, Richardson is the most credentialed man to one day lead the attack.
“I think [it is important to be fit then], but we are looking pretty far into the future there,” he said. “Taking it one step at a time, getting the body right and making sure everything is right on my end, and not worrying about what is happening externally.”
