Mahli Beardman has lost some time due to multiple injuries, but he certainly hasn't lost his pace or bounce.
In his third game - and first proper shift - after undergoing rehab for a stress injury in his back, the 21-year-old quick ambushed India's IPL stars by consistently hitting speeds north of 140kph for Australia A in the first one-dayer against India A in Puducherry. He blasted out India A's top three - Prabhsimran Singh, B Sai Sudharsan, Devdutt Padikkal with the new ball and later returned with the older one to also bounce out allrounder Suryansh Shedge.
Beardman bowled just four overs each against South Australia and Tasmania in the One-day Cup at the WACA before hitting full tilt in India, coming away with figures of 6-0-23-4.
He bowled an over full of 140-plus kph balls in a sensational second over, which included the wickets of Padikkal (0) and Prabhsimran (17).
"[Didn't fear that I] would lose pace," Beardman said after setting up Australia A's thumping win in Puducherry on Tuesday. "Unfortunately, I've had a few [injuries] now, so I've done this before, but there's always that sort of unknown about what's going to happen with your body, if you're going to be able to withstand the workloads again and get back to how you were bowling before. So, I was lucky enough that I feel like I was in some decent rhythm during the Big Bash and leading into Pakistan before my injury.
"And then there's always some worries about whether you're going to get back, but I'm pretty lucky to obviously have the staff here at CA [Cricket Australia] and then back at the WACA have been amazing as well. So we've been in good hands."
The future of Australian fast bowling seems to be in safe hands as well. While the big boys Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood are all away preparing for the away Test series against South Africa, Spencer Johnson, Beardman and Meredith lined up for Australia in Puducherry and harried the Indian batters with serious pace and steep bounce. Among them, Beardman is the youngest and was the most relentless with the ball on Tuesday.
Beardman is no one-trick pony. He also got the new ball to deck around under lights. "It was pretty simple," Beardman said. "We've done a fair bit of research on their top order. I think without revealing too much, [the plan was] just to hit the wicket hard, use my pace and if there's shape there, which there was, to try and use that. And then, from there, just be crafty with what we do with crease angles, how we use the ball, seam positions, things like that. But it was pretty simple: just hold a hard length."
Beardman had made his List A debut for WA when he was 18 and dismissed Moises Henriques, even before he had played the 2024 Under-19 World Cup, which he won. In that Under-19 World Cup final in Benoni, Beardman trimmed India's batting line-up with 3 for 15 in seven overs and came away with the Player-of-the-Match award.
More recently in a BBL game against Sydney Sixers in January 2026, he shook up Steven Smith and bounced him out. Around a week later, Beardman made his T20I debut against Pakistan in Lahore.
Apart from the Pakistan trip, Beardman had toured the UK with Australia's white-ball side in 2024 and was also added to Australia's T20I squad for the home series against India in November 2025. He is a bowler with a high ceiling and Australia's selectors want him around the senior quicks.
"Super lucky to have some exposure and experience now around Starcy [Mitchell Starc], Cummo [Pat Cummins] and Hoff [Josh Hazlewood]," Beardman said. "From a technical standpoint, Starcy [Mitchell Starc] has given me some awesome pointers. And then from there it's just been sort of trying to pick their brain as much as possible on game-play. I think obviously they've had so much experience and so much success across a long period of time now.
"So, they have a way of keeping the game super simple, which I'm lucky enough to be able to tap into. So again, without revealing too much, there's been some stuff that's been spoken about from a technical aspect. And then from the game side of things, just field positions, etc. have been awesome."
Beardman also looks up to Dale Steyn and though he hasn't got his veins popping and crazy eyes going on this tour yet, he tends to celebrate his wickets with gusto and bare his emotions.
"I think it's Dale Steyn's ability to run in and swing the ball both ways at good pace," Beardman says. "And then going through the years, I think we saw how well he competed and the crazy eyes that he had. And that's something that I sort of try and implement in my cricket as I cross the white line.
"There's some aggression and sort of wearing your heart on your sleeve when you bowl. So, I love watching that growing up and that's something that I try and implement now."
With Australia facing a packed schedule over the next 12 months, Beardman could potentially return to the selection frame for the senior side once again, especially if he stays fit and maintains his pace.