Matthew Renshaw is eager to learn after a disappointing Border–Gavaskar Series in India, in which the 27-year-old was dropped after the first Test.
Renshaw made an appearance in the second Test as a mid-match concussion substitute, but made just four runs across the series. Despite the tough tour, Renshaw is still hopeful to feature in the upcoming Ashes series after a strong showing in New Zealand this week.
Playing for Australia A in their first Test match against New Zealand A in Lincoln, Renshaw smashed 112 and 78 across the two innings in a standout performance, with the Aussies eventually handed defeat by their cross-ditch rivals.
Speaking to cricket.com.au after his performance, Renshaw admitted that he had plenty to work on, noting that his technique had changed over the years.
"We had a batters' meeting and we looked at footage of all the boys and unfortunately they didn't have enough footage of me to watch, so they went back and put some 2017 footage of me up there," Renshaw said.
"I just noticed how big a difference there was with my technique, from 2017 to now. So that's a big learning, to work out what I did well in that series and then looking forward to now.
"One thing I noticed was my defence was quite solid back then and I didn't play too many shots outside of my defence … at the end of the day I was just trusting my defence and that's what you've really got to do in India."
Renshaw hit 112 from 169 balls in the first innings, putting his name firmly back in the Ashes conversation after his best work at the crease in months.
"The first innings was nice because I haven't batted as much as I would have liked in the last four months," Renshaw said.
"I've had three bats since the end of the Big Bash, so it was a really strange sort of feeling not batting and not (being) sure how I was going out in the middle in India.
"It was a bit strange being back out there in a first-class game. Then the second innings was all about batting to the match situation. We were ahead of the game and we wanted to set up a declaration."
The Ashes will begin on Friday, June 16 at Egbaston, with Renshaw having plenty of experience on English shores after county stints with Somerset and Kent.
"I've had some success in county cricket in England already, so I know how the game goes over there," said Renshaw.
"Obviously it's a bit different in an Ashes Test and that bowling attack, but the way you play is always evolving and being able to work out how to play on a certain day is probably the biggest part of batting."
