West Australian Cooper Connolly finds international footing in breakthrough half century against India

Rising West Australian young gun Cooper Connolly is the buzz of the cricketing world after his coming-of-age knock against India, drawing high praise from one of the nation’s greatest-ever bowlers. And as the 22-year-old prepares for a packed SCG finale to the ODI series on Saturday, a dead rubber after the hosts clinched the series 2-0, he is poised to become the next big thing in Australian white-ball cricket. Connolly showed composure and flair in his unbeaten 61 at Adelaide Oval and drew comparisons to the knock that saw him burst onto the WA scene in a remarkable Big Bash League final triumph for Perth Scorchers in 2023. Recently retired Indian superstar Ravi Ashwin, who dominated the Test and limited-over arenas, was captivated by the innings, stating the youngster reminded him of cult hero Yuvraj Singh. He also said the 22-year-old was “truly” ready to start making the game his own at the elite level. “There is not much experience in this Australian batting line-up, even then they showed so much strength that they proved to the world that the next generation of batters are truly ready,” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel, which boasts more than 1.76 million subscribers. “Cooper Connolly’s cover drive reminded me of Yuvraj Singh’s cover drive from his debut during the Champions Trophy against Australia,” he added. Ashwin, an off-spinner, will get the chance to take on Connolly first-hand this summer when he takes to the field for Sydney Thunder. At his peak, Yuvraj Singh drew monster crowds to watch him bat, and if the excitement of one good knock is anything to go by, Connolly could follow in the Indian star’s footsteps. The Aussie all-rounder was trending on X on Friday morning with thousands of fans sharing and liking videos, many from even his Big Bash exploits, where he was named joint Player of the Tournament last season. Much of the love came from India. It’s a far cry from the tough initiation to international cricket he received after debuting in every format before the age of 22. In one Test, six ODIs and six T20s, he scored 27 runs, including just four in his baggy green debut against Sri Lanka. His hand was then broken in his maiden innings in Perth by Pakistan quick Mohammad Hasnain. However, the faith of the Australian selectors was rewarded on Thursday as Connolly showed off his talent. “I hadn’t got to double digits, so it was nice to get that breakout innings just to feel that I can play at this level,” the young star said. “I was looking back, probably a couple of nights ago, and I’d played maybe 10 ODIs and I’d only batted in three or four of them, so it was nice to get my opportunity. “There’s still a lot of cricket to be played, but it was nice to get that sort of innings out today.” With Steve Smith and Glenn Maxwell retiring from the 50-over format at the beginning of the year, the door is open for young players to prove they belong in the format ahead of the 2027 World Cup. Connolly’s knock-half-century even drew praise from current opposition players. “They played brilliantly, the way they batted, they rotated their strike. It was a superb performance, and Cooper, especially being a youngster, coming and showing so much maturity to finish off the game, shows a lot of character,” Indian vice captain Shreyas Iyer said. “He’s someone I’ve seen even in the India A vs Australia A matches. He was charging the bowlers and very selective in terms of which bowler to target. So credit where it’s due.” Connolly revealed another positive sign for his well-respected demeanour, admitting the sight of Indian white-ball megastars Virat Kohli, arguably the greatest short-format player of all-time, and Rohit Sharma increased his butterflies. “I was a little bit star-struck walking out, and Virat and Rohit were there, but it’s always nice to challenge yourself with the best opponent, and I’m looking forward to the next game,” Connolly said. But the youngster sang his way through the nerves, revealing he sang to himself between balls, and never looked like falling short as Australia chased down India’s 9-264 with two wickets and 3.4 overs to spare in front of a seething Indian contingent in Adelaide. Connolly’s attention now turns to the SCG, which is expected to be packed despite the game now being a dead rubber. The West Aussie will play a vital role in the middle order, but his bowling could also be called back into action with Connolly already having six scalps to his name at 16.83, including becoming the youngest Australian to take an ODI five-fer in August against South Africa.