‘Hurt quite a lot’: Axed Aussie’s devastating phone call that ‘lit a fire’ in Ashes quest
It appears increasingly likely that Australia’s injury-prone pace attack will need reinforcements during this summer’s blockbuster Ashes campaign, and Sean Abbott is adamant he’ll be ready should his services be required.
The New South Welshman has become a regular member of the ODI and T20I teams since his international debut in 2014, taking 65 wickets across 54 matches for Australia. Since earning his maiden Test call-up in 2020, he has also featured in multiple red-ball squads — but he’s yet to receive a coveted baggy green.
Despite carrying drinks throughout last summer’s Border-Gavaskar Trophy and the Test tour of Sri Lanka, Abbott was cut from the national contract list for the 2025/26 season, a decision that “hurt quite a lot”. However, he acknowledged that he has occasionally failed to produce his best in canary yellow.
“I felt like I’d been away on tour close to the most out of any other player, but obviously running drinks a lot,” Abbott explained to Fox Cricket.
“There’s definitely some tours where there have been some good opportunities, but I probably didn’t have those really outstanding performances just to take that decision with the (contract) list out of the selectors’ hands.
“There’s probably a couple of games there that I’d like to have back. But I certainly still took a lot out of them.”
National coach Andrew McDonald and chief selector George Bailey both called Abbott to talk through his omission, reassuring the 33-year-old he’d still get opportunities across formats.
“It was a tough conversation to have,” Abbott recalled.
“But I felt like it lit a fire in me.
“I got home (from the PSL), trained the house down, had a bit of a purpose. I was obviously motivated by losing my spot on the list.”
The national selectors stuck true to their word – after South Australian quick Brendan Doggett was ruled out of the recent Test tour of the West Indies due to a hip injury, Abbott was flown to the Caribbean as an eleventh-hour replacement. The Australians sealed a 3-0 series whitewash to retain the Frank Worrell Trophy, rolling the hosts for 27 during the series finale in Kingston.
“That was a fantastic series to be a part of; I hadn’t been to the West Indies before,” Abbott said.
“The boys played magnificently, especially (Mitchell) Starc. That last game was a bit ridiculous; he had the cheat codes on.”
Abbott played six white-ball matches against the West Indies and South Africa during the winter and earned selection for next month’s T20 tour of New Zealand, meaning he will miss the opening round of the Sheffield Shield. It continues a common trend for the right-armed seamer, who only played three Sheffield Shield matches across the last two summers due to international commitments.
But when he has gotten an opportunity to play red-ball cricket for New South Wales or Surrey in the County Championship, Abbott has taken 104 first-class wickets at 24.72 since June 2021. He took a six-wicket haul during his most recent Sheffield Shield appearance, a pink-ball match against Tasmania in Hobart.
“(The national selectors) have confidence in me; they probably don’t need to see me play a ridiculous amount of Shield cricket,” Abbott said.
“It’s been a bit of a juggling act. I probably haven’t got it right all the time, but I feel like my cricket’s going in the right direction.”
Abbott has also been wary of burnout, knowing that a Test call-up could come at any moment. Throughout a busy off-season, which included an interrupted PSL campaign marred by conflict between Pakistan and India, he has focused on keeping himself mentally and physically fresh ahead of the home summer.
“I’m probably the fittest I’ve ever felt in my career,” Abbott said.
“I’ve always been quite a robust player, touchwood. I’ve always been available whenever I’ve been called into a squad through injury. I’ve been able to play for a number of years now without any serious injury.
“We choose to go and play in other competitions around the world throughout the winter in between tours, but just don’t turn up back home to the Blues knackered or to Australian tours knackered, always be ready to go to take the opportunity.”
Blues coach Greg Shipperd, who also mentors the Sydney Sixers in the Big Bash, knows how much work Abbott puts into making himself readily available for state and national duties, agreeing that he was as fit as he’s ever been.
“I call him ever-ready. He’s ever-ready to play, and he’s one of the few bowlers in the country in that space,” Shipperd told reporters on Monday.
“And that’s a nod to his professionalism and the way he goes about his preparation. Fingers cross that he’s always there and available.
“He came back from that West Indies tour and was happy to wear a singlet around. He just looked fabulous."
The last few years within the Australian camp have given Abbott new-found admiration for the feats of state teammates Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins. The multi-format superstars have featured in countless Test tours and ICC events over the past decade, yet continue to perform for their country deep into their thirties.
“You don’t realise how hard their job is until you’re there for a couple of Test series in a row, which bounces into another tour, into another tour, into another tour,” Abbott said.
“But no matter how sore they are, no matter how they’re feeling mentally, physically, these guys just find a way to go find a gear and do the job. The longevity speaks for itself.
“Even when they’re in these ridiculous schedules, putting their hand up and performing for Australia, they’ve always made time for guys like me, whether it’s been on tour or back here in New South Wales.
“I can’t commend them enough. I feel pretty blessed.”
Earlier this month, Starc announced his retirement from T20Is in a bid to try and extend his career in the other formats, creating a gap in Australia’s squad for next year’s T20 World Cup in the subcontinent. Abbott is one of the leading candidates to fill the vacancy, but he knows he’ll have some stiff competition.
“When I found that Mitch had retired, I wasn’t thinking, ‘Oh, I’m one step closer,’ or anything like that,” Abbott said.
“Benny Dwarshuis had a really good Big Bash and two really good series for Australia (against the West Indies and South Africa), while obviously Nathan Ellis just keeps getting better and better.
“I’ve got to put some more good performances on the board to be competing with those guys, but I definitely think I’m not far away.
“There are always moving parts with injuries and how guys are feeling, but I definitely want to be there for the (T20) World Cup.”
Abbott was the reserve seamer in Australia’s triumphant 2023 World Cup campaign in India, playing the group-stage match against Bangladesh in Pune. Despite only producing ten overs across the six-week trip, it remains a career highlight.
“World Cups and these big tournaments are probably ones you look back on more,” Abbott said.
“It would have been lovely to play more and have more involvement, but just to be there was an incredible achievement that I look back on very fondly.”
Abbott knows that if he remains patient and continues pressing his case for higher honours, it’ll give him the best chance of a long-awaited Test debut. Australia is scheduled to play 21 Tests in a packed 11-month window next season, a daunting proposition for the team’s ageing pack attack.
Captain Cummins is nursing a lumbar bone stress injury ahead of the Ashes, while Hazlewood missed the second half of last summer’s Border-Gavaskar Trophy due to a calf strain. Speedsters Lance Morris and Spencer Johnson have effectively been ruled out of the Ashes due to injury, while Starc and Scott Boland are no spring chickens.
Asked whether he believed Abbott was ready for the challenges of Test cricket, Hazlewood didn’t hesitate with his response.
“Absolutely,” he told Fox Cricket.
“I’ve seen a lot of Sean in the last ten years, and he’s always done the job for New South Wales and Australia when called upon.
“There’s a great staple there of the next-up quicks. You don’t want to put anyone ahead of anyone else, but there’s a couple from each state that are definitely ready.”
Shipperd agreed: “Beyond that top three or four, then he’s certainly right in the mix, as recent selections have indicated.
“Last season, he bowled a couple of the best red-ball spells that I’d seen in some time … so he’s right in the reckoning for an opportunity. I hope it comes his way at some stage.”
Injury and workload management will almost certainly play a role during the gruelling 2026/27 season — potentially opening the door for Abbott. However, the likes of Xavier Bartlett, Lance Morris, Fergus O’Neill, Michael Neser, Jhye Richardson and Doggett are also pushing for a Test call-up.
“There is a hell of a lot of cricket coming up,” Abbott said.
“The schedules are getting a bit ridiculous; there are 21 Tests in a year next season.
“I feel like my job is to keep putting my hand up, and then when the chance comes, just to go with both hands, and then stay there for as long as I can, because I’m playing for Australia. It’s everything that you train for and want to be a part of.”
If he gets an opportunity in the Test side, Abbott will become the oldest pace bowler to make their Test debut for Australia since Geff Noblet in 1950.
“I’ll be 34 next February, but I feel like I’ve got a number of years now to still keep pushing for a Test cap, to keep getting better at international level,” he said.
“I feel like I’m ready to go. I’m just not wanting to get too ahead of myself. There’s a bit of cricket to be played before then.”
He continued: “It’s a dream to play any cricket for Australia, but obviously the one we all think about as kids is playing against England. That’s a pinnacle of Test cricket for Australian cricketers.”
Abbott has been named as New South Wales captain for Tuesday’s one-day opener against Tasmania in the absence of Blues skipper Jack Edwards, who is in India for the Australia A tour. He will miss the first Sheffield Shield match against Western Australia in Perth, but hopes to play at least three first-class matches before the Big Bash break.
“I’m really looking forward to playing some Shield cricket, and hopefully being part of that Ashes squad. But there’s a bit of water to go under the bridge until then,” Abbott said.
“We’re craving a bit of success here in New South Wales. I’m really confident with the way the boys are going and training that some success is around the corner, and I really want to be a part of that.
“Then hopefully (national) selection and things like that look after themselves.”
The One-Day Cup match between NSW and Tasmania gets underway at Cricket Central on Tuesday at 9.30am AEST.
Garrett Crochet Has Aaron Judge Message After Red Sox-Yankees Clash
Sep 14, 2025; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Garrett Crochet (35) pitches against the New York Yankees during the first inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images
Is Garrett Crochet vs. Aaron Judge becoming its own rivalry?
The Boston Red Sox got a much-needed win over the New York Yankees on Sunday night, re-establishing a three-game cushion in the tightening American League Wild Card picture. But even with such high stakes, it was hard not to appreciate the separate battle going on between the best pitcher and hitter in the AL East.
Crochet struck out Judge in both of his first two at-bats of the game on six swings and misses. However, when he came to the plate for a third time, Judge ambushed a first-pitch 98-mph fastball and sent it into the Boston bullpen for his 48th home run of the season.
Garrett Crochet sounds off on Aaron Judge battles
After the Red Sox got a much-needed 6-4 win, Crochet's 16th of the season, the 26-year-old ace marveled at Judge's consistency as the latter goes for a third Most Valuable Player Award in the last four seasons.
“He’s looking down the barrel of another MVP,” Crochet said, per Christopher Smith of MassLive. “I don’t think it’s been a secret since he entered the league that he’s one of the best players, if not the best. So it’s always an intense at-bat and one that I feel like I’ve risen to the challenge for. Just trying to keep him in the park is tough, but just doing the best I can.”
Judge went just 2-for-13 against Crochet this season and struck out an incredible 10 times. However, both hits were statement home runs, including an even more memorable one that traveled 443 feet back in June to tie the game at 1-1 in the top of the ninth inning.
Crochet enjoyed the battles with Judge all season and has plenty more to look forward to, as both are under contract for the next six years.
“Anytime that you’re facing one of the best is very enjoyable,” Crochet said, per Smith. “It means a little bit more, and I feel like getting him out just juices the dugout a little bit.”
Could the two square off in the first round of the playoffs? It would be a fitting conclusion to a battle that has captivated fans of both teams all season.
