# Matt Renshaw
**Matt Renshaw** (Matthew Thomas Renshaw, born 1996 in [Middlesbrough](https://www.edgepedia.org/middlesbrough), Yorkshire) is an Australian international cricketer, a left-handed opening and middle-order batsman who also bowls right-arm off-spin.
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1996, Middlesbrough, Yorkshire; moved to Australia at age 10; height 194 cm[1](https://www.cricket.com.au/players/CA%3A290/matt-renshaw) • [2](https://www.cricket.com.au/news/4507176/matthew-renshaw-pidgeonhole-turtle-test-debut-opener-odi-t20i-world-cup-nose-septorhinoplasty-travis-head-ashes) |
| Playing style | Left-handed bat, right-arm off-spin; known for patience and technique[1](https://www.cricket.com.au/players/CA%3A290/matt-renshaw) |
| International debuts | Test 24 November 2016; ODI 19 October 2025; T20I 29 January 2026[1](https://www.cricket.com.au/players/CA%3A290/matt-renshaw) |
| Early record | First Australian cricketer to make 500 Test runs before turning 21, including 184 against Pakistan in Sydney[1](https://www.cricket.com.au/players/CA%3A290/matt-renshaw) |
| Test career | 15 matches, 653 runs at 28.39, highest score 184[1](https://www.cricket.com.au/players/CA%3A290/matt-renshaw) |
| White-ball career | ODI: 15 matches, 451 runs at 32.21; T20I: 9 matches, 233 runs at 38.83[1](https://www.cricket.com.au/players/CA%3A290/matt-renshaw) |
| Big Bash League | 90 matches, 2,124 runs at 27.23, one century, for Brisbane Heat and Adelaide Strikers[1](https://www.cricket.com.au/players/CA%3A290/matt-renshaw) • [3](https://www.icc-cricket.com/rankings/65050/matt-renshaw) |
## Early life and Queensland breakthrough
Renshaw was born in Middlesbrough and moved to Australia as a child. His father Ian opened the batting with [Joe Root](https://www.edgepedia.org/joe-root)'s father Matt for Sheffield Collegiate, and Renshaw played with the future England captain on [Yorkshire](https://www.edgepedia.org/yorkshire) club grounds as a youngster.[2](https://www.cricket.com.au/news/4507176/matthew-renshaw-pidgeonhole-turtle-test-debut-opener-odi-t20i-world-cup-nose-septorhinoplasty-travis-head-ashes) He rose through Queensland's system, representing Australia at Under-19 level.[1](https://www.cricket.com.au/players/CA%3A290/matt-renshaw)
In December 2015 he struck 170 against a strong [New South Wales](https://www.edgepedia.org/new-south-wales) attack to become the youngest first-class century maker for [Queensland](https://www.edgepedia.org/queensland), and finished his maiden [Sheffield Shield](https://www.edgepedia.org/sheffield-shield) campaign as the state's leading run scorer with 738 runs at 43.41 in 2015-16.[1](https://www.cricket.com.au/players/CA%3A290/matt-renshaw)
## Test debut and early international career
Renshaw made his Test debut on 24 November 2016, one of four new players brought into a reshaped Australian side, and opened with [David Warner](https://www.edgepedia.org/david-warner-cricketer). In his maiden Test, a day-night match against the pace attack of Vernon Philander, Kyle Abbott, and [Kagiso Rabada](https://www.edgepedia.org/kagiso-rabada), he made an unbeaten 37 from 134 balls in Australia's run chase.[4](https://www.wisden.com/series/west-indies-vs-australia-m-2025/cricket-news/18-openers-in-10-years-every-player-through-the-revolving-door-of-australias-test-team) His slow scoring earned him the nickname 'Turtle', foisted on the 20-year-old because of his shyness around senior players; after 10 Tests his strike-rate stood at 43.78, marginally below [Matthew Hayden](https://www.edgepedia.org/matthew-hayden)'s 46.66 at the same stage.[2](https://www.cricket.com.au/news/4507176/matthew-renshaw-pidgeonhole-turtle-test-debut-opener-odi-t20i-world-cup-nose-septorhinoplasty-travis-head-ashes)
In 2017 he became the first Australian cricketer to make 500 Test runs before turning 21, which included 184 against Pakistan in Sydney.[1](https://www.cricket.com.au/players/CA%3A290/matt-renshaw) Six difficult Tests in Asia (four in India, two in Bangladesh) and a poor start to the following Shield season saw him left out of the squad for the 2017-18 Ashes, with [Cameron Bancroft](https://www.edgepedia.org/cameron-bancroft) preferred. He was then called up to replace the suspended Bancroft during the 2018 tour of South Africa.[1](https://www.cricket.com.au/players/CA%3A290/matt-renshaw) He was awarded a national contract by [Cricket Australia](https://www.edgepedia.org/cricket-australia) for the 2018-19 season.[5](https://www.ipl.com/player/matt-renshaw)
## Middle-order reinvention and domestic form
After lean seasons Renshaw moved to the middle order, where he flourished in the Covid-affected 2020-21 summer with 500 Shield runs at an average of 62.50, and his one-day and T20 form also improved.[1](https://www.cricket.com.au/players/CA%3A290/matt-renshaw) A strong county campaign with Somerset in 2022 led to a recall for the 2022-23 [New Year](https://www.edgepedia.org/new-year)'s Test against South Africa, and he played two Tests on Australia's unsuccessful 2023 tour of India, batting at Nos. 5 and 6 and returning nine runs in four innings.[1](https://www.cricket.com.au/players/CA%3A290/matt-renshaw) • [4](https://www.wisden.com/series/west-indies-vs-australia-m-2025/cricket-news/18-openers-in-10-years-every-player-through-the-revolving-door-of-australias-test-team) Two centuries for Australia A as an opener then returned him to the top of the order for the 2023-24 Shield season and the 2024 [County Championship](https://www.edgepedia.org/county-championship).[1](https://www.cricket.com.au/players/CA%3A290/matt-renshaw)
Renshaw has spoken about mental health challenges around the time he lost his Queensland spot, and about how over-focusing on technique took him away from his strength of reacting to the ball.[6](https://www.cricket.com.au/news/4575454) In franchise cricket he has played for Brisbane Heat and [Adelaide Strikers](https://www.edgepedia.org/adelaide-strikers) in the [Big Bash League](https://www.edgepedia.org/big-bash-league), and for Somerset and Kent in England.[3](https://www.icc-cricket.com/rankings/65050/matt-renshaw) • [5](https://www.ipl.com/player/matt-renshaw)
## White-ball rise and 2026 Test return
A season with three Shield hundreds at an average of 49.90 earned Renshaw a return to Australia's white-ball sides, and he made his ODI debut on 19 October 2025 and his T20I debut on 29 January 2026.[7](https://www.wisden.com/series/australia-vs-bangladesh-m-2026/cricket-news/eight-years-on-matt-renshaw-gets-his-best-chance-to-own-australias-opening-spot) • [1](https://www.cricket.com.au/players/CA%3A290/matt-renshaw) He averaged 53 in his debut ODI series against India and top-scored with a 44-ball 65 against Zimbabwe at the 2026 T20 World Cup, and an unbeaten 89 in the T20I series against Bangladesh in June 2026.[2](https://www.cricket.com.au/news/4507176/matthew-renshaw-pidgeonhole-turtle-test-debut-opener-odi-t20i-world-cup-nose-septorhinoplasty-travis-head-ashes) • [8](https://www.icc-cricket.com/tournaments/mens-t20-world-cup-2026/teams/1/players/65050/matt-renshaw)
## Off-field notes
Renshaw has an allergy to grass and a long-standing nasal septum problem stemming from a childhood backyard-cricket injury, which made breathing and recovery in humid conditions difficult; on a specialist's advice he underwent a septorhinoplasty in 2026.[2](https://www.cricket.com.au/news/4507176/matthew-renshaw-pidgeonhole-turtle-test-debut-opener-odi-t20i-world-cup-nose-septorhinoplasty-travis-head-ashes) He has two children with his wife Josie.[2](https://www.cricket.com.au/news/4507176/matthew-renshaw-pidgeonhole-turtle-test-debut-opener-odi-t20i-world-cup-nose-septorhinoplasty-travis-head-ashes)
## References
1. [Matthew Renshaw player profile, cricket.com.au](https://www.cricket.com.au/players/CA%3A290/matt-renshaw)
2. [Turn turtle: A decade of Matthew Renshaw, cricket.com.au](https://www.cricket.com.au/news/4507176/matthew-renshaw-pidgeonhole-turtle-test-debut-opener-odi-t20i-world-cup-nose-septorhinoplasty-travis-head-ashes)
3. [Matt Renshaw player profile, ICC](https://www.icc-cricket.com/rankings/65050/matt-renshaw)
4. [18 Openers In 10 Years, Wisden](https://www.wisden.com/series/west-indies-vs-australia-m-2025/cricket-news/18-openers-in-10-years-every-player-through-the-revolving-door-of-australias-test-team)
5. [Matt Renshaw career stats and profile, IPL.com](https://www.ipl.com/player/matt-renshaw)
6. [The 'magic' awaiting all-format Renshaw after parallel career, cricket.com.au](https://www.cricket.com.au/news/4575454)
7. [Eight Years On, Matt Renshaw Gets His Best Chance to Own Australia's Opening Spot, Wisden](https://www.wisden.com/series/australia-vs-bangladesh-m-2026/cricket-news/eight-years-on-matt-renshaw-gets-his-best-chance-to-own-australias-opening-spot)
8. [Matt Renshaw player stats, ICC T20 World Cup 2026](https://www.icc-cricket.com/tournaments/mens-t20-world-cup-2026/teams/1/players/65050/matt-renshaw)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Cricket › Cricket people and teams › People › Men's international cricketers › Australian men's cricketers*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
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License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license