'I am trying to be a game changer' - Connolly adds India experience to his steep learning curve

The past year has been like a dream for Cooper Connolly. The 22-year-old only made his first-class debut for Western Australia in March of 2024. Since then, he has toured the UK, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, the UAE and the Caribbean with Australia, making his international debuts in all three forms.

Having made his Test debut in Sri Lanka in February, he is now getting a taste of first-class cricket in India, coming off 70 and a wicket for Australia A in the first unofficial Test against India A in Lucknow last week.

"As a kid you dream of playing for Australia, you dream of playing one game but I guess to get the opportunity to play more, it has been nice," Connolly told ESPNcricinfo. "Hopefully I can play a few more but I think it's just about learning from the experience, being around those world-class players and then if I get my opportunity, just make the most of it."

Part of Connolly's rise to prominence has been the rare skill set that he possesses. Australia have been crying out for an all-format allrounder who can bowl left-arm orthodox.

After making his T20I and ODI debut on the UK tour in September 2024, where he spent time working on his spin craft with Australia's bowling coach and former New Zealand left-arm orthodox Daniel Vettori, Connolly was called up for a surprise Test debut earlier this year in February against Sri Lanka, a tour that was invaluable for him.

"I learned a lot with some world-class players around me," Connolly said. "I sat next to Travis Head a little bit and tried to understand how he goes about it. I am trying to model my game a little bit on him and how he plays. He's a pretty aggressive player. So I was just trying to learn as much from him as I could. And then with my bowling, I was just getting stuck into Nathan Lyon and even Murph [Todd Murphy], just trying to understand how they go about it."

His bowling is raw but the improvements have been evident. In his last ODI against South Africa last month, he claimed his first five-wicket haul in professional cricket. In Lucknow, he felt he bowled well on a surface that provided very little assistance for the spinners, picking up the wicket of India's incumbent Test No. 3 in B Sai Sudharsan.

"I felt like in the first game, my bowling was nice on a pretty flat wicket," Connolly said. "I felt like I tried to get some wickets out of the rough and tried to be aggressive with my bowling.

"And then with my batting, I was just trying to be free-flowing, take the game on, looking to score. I think that's the best way to bat in Indian conditions."

Connolly has scored six half-centuries in just ten first-class innings at a brisk strike rate of 64.36. The likes of Head and former Australia left-hander Shaun Marsh have been clear influences on Connolly already in his short career, as well as Western Australia's batting coach and former Australia Test spinner Beau Casson.

"I've sort of been leaning on Travis Head but to be honest, you don't really lean on players," Connolly said. "You just ask for advice, you ask for information, how they go about it. You speak to them, you speak to the team, trying to get the best communication from everyone.

"Back home my batting coach Beau Casson has been very good for me, just ticking the right boxes and communicating with me, which has always been nice. And then Shaun Marsh has always been my idol growing up. I was lucky enough to be a part of the Western Australian squad when he was still playing. I think it's just about getting as much information as you can and trying to understand how much information you can take and be a good player."

Connolly's skill with both bat and ball makes him an attractive prospect for Australia as they look ahead to a five-Test tour of India in 2027. He is aware that the Australia A tour is the perfect time to work on improving his game in the subcontinent, because he knows that as a spin-bowling allrounder, he will likely get more opportunities to play in this part of the world.

"I am just trying to add to my game in the subcontinent," Connolly said. "Trying to work out how I can play spin better. And then also with my bowling, how I can create opportunities, how I can spin the ball, how I can change the game with the ball. I feel like I am trying to be a game changer. So I am just trying to work out where I can chip in best for the team."