Australian debutant Jake Weatherald announced his arrival in the international arena with a celebration that instantly grabbed attention on Day 2 of the ongoing first Test of the Ashes 2025-26 series against England at the Optus Stadium in Perth.
After waiting through 10 tense deliveries to finally get off the mark in his debut Test, Jake Weatherald had to wait through 10 nervous deliveries before he finally scored his first Test runs, and when they came, he broke into a fist-pump celebration that reminded fans of Virat Kohli’s celebration.
Jake Weatherald channels Virat Kohli after scoring first Test runs
The moment unfolded when Jofra Archer banged in a short ball at the stumps. Weatherald handled it with calm confidence, sending the ball off his hips toward backward square leg. The timing was smooth, and the placement was perfect, as Jake and Travis Head ran for three easy runs.
As soon as the Tasmanian batter reached the other end, he let out all the pressure he had been holding inside. The left-handed batter broke into a strong fist pump, smiling wide-a celebration that instantly reminded fans of Virat Kohli’s celebration in Sydney.
Last month, Kohli had made headlines for a similar moment in Sydney, when he celebrated his first run by raising his fist in elation and cheekily smiling after two ducks during the third and final ODI against Australia. His celebration came after he got a single off Mitchell Starc at the SCG. In that match, the former Indian captain hit a match-winning fifty against Australia.
Jake Weatherald falls to a short ball for 23 in Perth
However, Jake Weatherald fell to another short-of-length ball that skidded in towards him from around the wicket. The debutant tried to play a shot towards the leg side, but the ball came in a bit quicker and closer to his body than he expected.
With not enough room to swing properly, Weatherald’s bat turned slightly, and instead of the ball going where he wanted, it popped up off the front of the bat. The ball went straight up in the air, and Ben Duckett ran in from cover to take an easy catch.
Brydon Carse got the first wicket for England as the Australian opener was dismissed for 23 runs off 34 balls, hitting three boundaries after a solid start at the Optus Stadium. In the first innings, Weatherald was dismissed for a duck by Jofra Archer in the ongoing first Ashes Test.
Travis Head smashes second-fastest Ashes century as Australia close to victory in Perth
Meanwhile, Travis Head has already notched up his hundred, and he is well supported by another experienced campaigner, Marnus Labuschagne (30), from the other end, as Australia now needs only 46 runs to win the first Test to take a 1-0 lead in the five-match Test series in Perth.
Head smashed 100 runs off just 69 balls in the first Ashes Test. It was the second fastest hundred in Ashes history and makes him the joint fastest opening batter to reach three figures in all Test matches. Remarkably, Head also becomes the player who hit the fastest ever century in a fourth-innings chase in Test cricket.