Jake Weatherald always looked the part. He wasn’t that much older than Sam Konstas when he first turned heads in Australian cricket.

At 22, in the 2016 Sheffield Shield final for South Australia, Weatherald smacked 66 from 61 balls then dug in for 96 from 223 balls. Those innings showcased a dazzling array of shots against an attack that featured Scott Boland, among others.

Jake Weatherald in 2016. Credit: Getty Images

A couple of years later, Weatherald cuffed 115 from 70 balls to help the Adelaide Strikers win the Big Bash League final. Alex Carey and Travis Head batted either side of Weatherald, and based on batting aesthetics it was not straightforward to say who would be playing for Australia next.

Looking back now, 24 hours after his call-up to Australia’s Ashes squad to fa

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