Weatherald withdrew from first-class cricket during the 2020\/21 summer amid the Covid-19 pandemic, later taking a second leave of absence in 2022. This period led to his relocation from South Australia to Tasmania in domestic cricket.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Three years later, he has finally earned his international call-up for this month\u2019s first Ashes Test, nearly a decade after making his first-class debut.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\"I tried to play it as cool as possible but I was absolutely screaming in my head,\u201d Weatherald told The Sydney Morning Herald. \u201cBut he said, \u2018We like the way you go about it, your record suggests you\u2019re going really well, everything\u2019s moving well, we feel as though you can put pressure on the bowlers and we like that, we don\u2019t want you to do anything different, just be ready to go\u2019. He was clear they trust I have the game to hopefully perform.\"<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cNot going to lie, you shit yourself a little bit. I\u2019ve aspired so long to even be considered for Australia and it\u2019s one of those things where you never think it\u2019s going to happen, it\u2019s a pipedream. So then to be announced you\u2019re part of the squad and have players like Steve Smith, Travis and \u2018Kez\u2019 (Carey), joining up with them will be an amazing moment,\" he added.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Weatherald now has a chance to make his Test debut after he was named in a 15-player squad for the Ashes opener and is most likely to partner Usman Khawaja at the top.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The 31-year-old batter further opened up on his rollercoaster ride and revealed some of the hurdles he has faced in his bid to become the country\u2019s next Test opener.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Weatherald now has a chance to make his Test debut after he was named in a 15-player squad for the Ashes opener and is most likely to partner Usman Khawaja at the top.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cBut I was obsessed with everyone else as well, what everyone else thought. And when you\u2019re already negatively geared, it just didn\u2019t make a great concoction for trying to be a professional athlete and trying to enjoy yourself. I wasn\u2019t the best human going around (in 2020), I didn\u2019t feel that happy about myself,\" he added.<\/p>\r\n\r\n