History beckons for Scott Boland and Brendan Doggett as they're set to become the first pair of Indigenous cricketers to be included in the same Australia Test side.
Indigenous Australians are the continent’s original inhabitants and are one of the oldest populations of humans living outside of Africa.
Represented by more than 250 distinct language groups, the Indigenous communities possess diverse cultures and traditions which have stood for more than 60,000 years and as of 2025, 3% of Australia’s population has Aboriginal heritage.
Of the 471 men’s Test players to represent Australia, only two are Indigenous and Doggett is set to be the latest member of an exclusive club.
Jason Gillespie
Jason Gillespie became the first men’s Test cricketer of Indigenous heritage when making his debut in 1996.
The right-hand fast went on to claim 259 wickets in 71 matches across a 10-year Test career, including five wickets in seven deliveries against England across two Ashes series - he finished England's second innings at Perth in 1998 and dismissed Marcus Trescothick with his first ball at Edgbaston in 2001.
By the time his career concluded he was Australia's sixth-highest wicket-taker.
Accustomed to a support role whilst in the company of Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne, Gillespie was named in the World Test XI of 2004 and the former Yorkshire and Glamorgan star also holds the record for the highest individual score by a nightwatchman, reaching 201 not out against Bangladesh in 2006.
Scott Boland
Boland, a proud member of the Gulidjan people in Victoria, made an emphatic start to his Test career when he claimed six wickets for seven runs at the MCG in the 2021/22 Ashes series against England.
Heading into his second home Ashes series, the 36-year-old has taken 62 Test wickets at 16.53 in an era where he's had to compete for a starting berth against some formidable bowlers in Cummins, Starc and Josh Hazlewood.
Earlier this year, Boland became only the 10th Australian cricketer to claim a hat-trick in a Test match as the Baggy Greens bowled out the West Indies for their lowest total in Test cricket.
Brendan Doggett
First named in an Australia Test squad in 2018, injuries have delayed Doggett's debut but the right-arm fast has fought his way back into contention ahead of the 2025/26 Ashes series.
Doggett excelled in the Sheffield Shield last season with 33 wickets, including a remarkable 11 in the final as South Australia ended their trophy drought, and that form extended into the 2025 campaign with 13 wickets at 14.69 from two matches.
He will debut for Australia in the Ashes against England in Perth.
