Richardson: 'I would love to play Test cricket again'

While his latest comeback is quickly gaining momentum Jhye Richardson chuckled at a rather funny question from a reporter before thinking.

Had it last month was afraid of his painful shoulder after animatedly celebrating a wicket against South Australia in his long-awaited Sheffield Shield return, Richardson was asked if he could still high-five teammates.

“I think I got into a funny position there in Adelaide, probably got a bit too excited and decided to hit a few hands a bit too hard,” a grinning Richardson told reporters after starring at 3 for 19 played. Perth Scorchers' six-wicket win about Melbourne Stars in the BBL season opener at Optus Stadium.

But given his horror run with injuries, including shoulder and hamstring surgeries, Richardson paused in his response and then struck a serious tone.

“I mean, it sounds weird, but… maybe we'll stick with the low fives instead of the high fives,” he said. “But that's just another thing we have to deal with. I've had enough to deal with my shoulder over the years. It's just another thing to add to the basket.”

Richardson would be wise to take precautions, no matter how innocuous they may seem, given his cursed luck over the years. He is still unable to throw deep into the outfield due to a shoulder problem and must instead throw the ball inside or forearm it when he is closer.

Richardson has been limited to just three Test matches since his debut against Sri Lanka in January 2019, the last of which was a pink-ball match in Adelaide in 2021 when he took his first five-wicket Test match against England.

The string of injuries means Richardson, 28, has spent a lot of time on the sidelines and has become somewhat of a forgotten player in Australian cricket.

But Richardson has been bowling without a break since returning to this year's IPL and his improved fitness saw him return to first-class cricket earlier than expected.

Richardson had match figures of 4 for 85 from 29 overs against South Australia in the Shield after four one-day cup matches and a pair of second XI matches for Western Australia.

Taking part in the BBL fit and firing, Richardson reminded why he is one of the country's most highly rated fast players with a spectacular performance against Stars on a bouncy Optus Stadium surface.

He bowled quickly and found swing to claim Joe Clarke and Sam Harper in a devastating new ball spell before finishing with the wicket of Beau Webster in the back end of the Stars innings.

“It felt a little bit different coming into this game just purely to have some cricket behind me over the last few months,” Richardson said. “I know I changed my approach a little bit last season and I was dealing with everything and hadn't played many games before actually getting into the tournament.

“I remember feeling probably the most nervous I've ever felt on a cricket field last year, before my first ball.

“Today was probably the opposite. I felt like I could go out there and actually do what I'm used to doing, which is bowl a cricket ball.”

While Australia's frontline attack of Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc, along with back-up speedy Scott Boland, have been remarkably consistent and resilient, Richardson offers valuable pace depth and – if he remains fit – could play a prominent role amid an expected transition in the coming years.

“Testing cricket is clearly the goal,” Richardson said. “I would love to play Test cricket again. I think it's hard to have one taste of it and have it ripped away.

“I think it's nice to have goals, but obviously I'm not there at the moment, so it would be unrealistic for me to think about international cricket. What is realistic is what is in front of me now, and that is playing Big Bash cricket and domestic cricket for WA.

“But I hope to get back there.”