South West-raised speedster Mahli Beardman earns call-up to Australian squad for T20I series against India

South West-raised speedster Mahli Beardman is in line to make his international debut after receiving a call-up for Australia’s T20I series against India. The Cowaramup Cricket Club junior will link up with the squad for the final three games of the five-match series and could feature on the international stage for the first time as soon as Sunday’s clash in Hobart. The 20-year-old has played only seven games at State level — five one-dayers for WA to go with two Big Bash League appearances for Perth Scorchers — but has made a hugely impressive start to his career. He claimed three wickets in what was just his second BBL appearance for the Scorchers and has already recorded 12 in the One-Day Cup, including five through two games so far this season. A breakout star from Australia’s under-19 World Cup win last year, Beardman’s ability to bowl as quick as 150 km/h has long had him in the sights of national selectors. He received his first international call-up for a One Day International series in England last year on the back of only one appearance at State level but did not debut. After Sunday’s game at Ninja Stadium, the series will conclude in Queensland with one game on the Gold Coast next Thursday and another in Brisbane next Saturday. Last week, Beardman scoffed at any suggestion he could bolt into Ashes calculations given he his yet to make his first class debut, but he did lay down a hint red-ball cricket may not be too far down the track. “I think (playing this Ashes) is a very long bow to draw, I haven’t even got a Sheffield Shield game under my belt yet, so safe to say that’s not much of a possibility,” he told The West Australian. “But if that opportunity somehow did arise, that would be absolutely incredible. “I don’t think there’s a lot of focus on red-ball cricket just yet. At the moment, it’s just Big Bash and focusing on white-ball coming off the back of a little injury, so I still have to prove my fitness there. “But over the next few months, hopefully without saying too much, we can make a shift towards looking at red-ball and all formats. And if that opportunity arises, physios permitting, then I’d love to get on the park and play some red-ball cricket.” While the quick focuses on playing the shorter formats, he won’t be sitting idly by during what is set to be the biggest Ashes series on home soil in more than a decade, stating he will use the series as another chance to watch how the best of the best tackle the pressure-cooker contest. “I watch a fair bit. If I can get down to a game, then I will,” Beardman said. “I normally go back through and watch the highlights, the bowling highlights in particular, to see how Starcy (Mitchell Starc) and Cummo (Pat Cummins) and those boys have been doing. “They’ve been so successful for 10-plus years, so there’s a lot of learning from just sitting down and watching those boys. I’ll definitely be watching closely.” Beardman is also at the heart of a rejuvenated bowling attack for his home State and could become the Scorchers’ spearhead this summer. WA has rolled out the 20-year-old alongside fellow up-and-coming fast bowlers Bryce Jackson and Albert Esterhuysen in the past two One-Day Cup contests against New South Wales and Tasmania. And while it has not quite gone to plan for the yellow and black, Beardman said it boded well for the future of the State and his development. “I’ve played a lot of juniors with Albie; he’s a big boy, and it’s been wicked to play alongside him,” he said. “Then, Bryce being a fellow Melville (Cricket Club) lad, it’s been wicked to have a bit of youth and something different for WA cricket. “There’s been plenty of lessons learnt playing alongside a young group.”