Melbourne [Australia] April 2, : The beginning of 2025 has been nothing short of unforgettable for Matt Kuhnemann. What started as a period of uncertainty--with fears that a broken thumb might derail his chances of a Test recall--soon turned into a triumphant chapter in his career. He bowled Australia to victory in Sri Lanka, only to have his bowling action reported soon after, as per ESPNcricinfo.
However, Kuhnemann successfully navigated the ICC's scrutiny, cleared his action, and finished the season on a high with a five-wicket haul. His impressive performances have now earned him his maiden central contract, solidifying his position as Australia's No. 2 red-ball spinner behind Nathan Lyon.
The left-arm spinner played a pivotal role in the two-Test series against Sri Lanka, claiming 16 wickets and taking his overall tally to 25 wickets in five matches at an average of 22.20.
Kuhnemann is set to tour the West Indies in June, where he is expected to feature alongside Lyon in some of the Tests, depending on the pitch conditions in Barbados, Grenada, and Jamaica.
"He's shown an incredible amount of resilience," chair of selectors George Bailey said, according to ESPNcricinfo.
"Looking at what's coming up, we don't have any subcontinent tours but we think his skill set could be useful in the West Indies. Someone who's not had a whole heap of international exposure, we've been really pleased with the way he's performed when he's got his opportunities," he added.
Lyon said he is happy it's all cleared. "It's all done and doesn't need to be spoken about any more. He hasn't done anything wrong. I thought he's been absolutely exceptional, especially the way he went out there and really bowled us to victory," he said, according to ESPNcricinfo.
"I was pretty heartbroken in a sense. I actually flew home with him. He was pretty gutted when he was talking to me about what he had to do and he was pretty nervous. For him to have his name cleared, I could be nothing but proud for Matt and the way he's gone about it," he added.
Beyond the Caribbean, his immediate international opportunities might be limited, but he is shaping up to be a key player for Australia in the 2027 Border-Gavaskar Trophy in India. It was on the 2023 tour of India that Kuhnemann made his Test debut, producing a match-winning spell of 5/16 in Indore during his second Test.
"I think he can play other formats," Bailey said. .
"The contract side of things is probably a lens to where he sits in our eyes at the moment, in the red-ball space he's done incredibly well," he added.
While Australia is unlikely to field two spinners in home Tests, Kuhnemann's place in the XI isn't guaranteed even if Lyon is unavailable during next summer's Ashes. Given Australian conditions, the selectors might lean towards an off-spinner like Todd Murphy--who was left out of the latest central contract list--or Western Australia's Corey Rocchiccioli, whose skill set suits bouncier pitches.
Rocchiccioli ended the Sheffield Shield season on a high, taking a career-best seven-wicket haul at the Gabba and eight wickets in the final match against Victoria at the WACA.
Looking ahead, all three spinners--Kuhnemann, Murphy, and Rocchiccioli--are expected to be part of the Australia A squad set to tour India later this year. The series will likely feature two four-day matches against India A, offering them another opportunity to showcase their skills in subcontinental conditions.