Jake Weatherald believes his maturity as a cricketer has helped him earn a Test call-up for the Ashes.
Having smashed 1,391 runs at 53.5 from his past 15 first-class games since his move to Tasmania, the 31-year-old is likely to open the batting with Usman Khawaja.
“Playing for Australia’s the hardest thing to do in Australian sport,” Weatherald said in Hobart on Friday.
“It was always a goal that felt maybe a little bit out of reach at times.
“But at the same time, I probably got comfortable with myself to know that if I did the right things, at the right time, and I took my opportunities, then I’d be ready to go.
“It is a pinch-yourself moment.
“As a kid in Australia, you grow up wanting to play professional sport; representing Australia in cricket is the highest honour, and something that I’ve aspired to my whole career.”
Despite backing his Queensland teammate Matt Renshaw for the task, Khawaja is now fully behind the newest member of the Australian squad.
“He didn’t have me in four days ago,” Weatherald joked. “You get the backing of someone like that who’s played so much first-class cricket, so much Test cricket.
“He’s made so many hundreds for Australia and is such a respected cricketer within our community.
“I’d be really excited to partner up with him at some point.”
Stressing on maturity, Weatherald said: People laugh about it, talking about the old team that we have.
“But at the same time, I think that’s the biggest blessing … we’ve all matured as cricketers.
“We’ve got to a point in our careers where we understand our games and how to handle the media, how to handle the pressures of playing first-class cricket. Hopefully, that keeps me in good stead.”