Brendan Doggett is an Australian fast bowler who plays for the Melbourne Renegades. Born on 3 May 1994 in Rockhampton, he’s a right-arm fast-medium bowler who made his Test debut in the 2025-26 Ashes — the fifth First Nations person to play Test cricket for Australia, and part of the first Australian Test XI to feature two Indigenous players alongside Scott Boland.
Quick Facts
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Full name | Brendan James Doggett |
| Born | 3 May 1994, Rockhampton, QLD |
| Country | Australia |
| Heritage | Worimi (via his mother’s side) — fifth First Nations Test cricketer |
| Role | Bowler |
| Batting | Right-handed |
| Bowling | Right-arm fast-medium |
| BBL team | Melbourne Renegades (previously Heat, Thunder, Strikers) |
| State team | South Australia (previously Queensland) |
| Australia | 2 Tests, 7 wickets @ 30.71 |
Background & Early Life
Doggett grew up in Toowoomba, Queensland, and his journey to professional cricket was anything but straightforward. He completed a four-year carpentry apprenticeship and a Certificate IV, working on the tools while chasing the dream. His junior cricket was with Toowoomba Souths, but the pathway wasn’t easy: twice a week he drove 90 minutes each way to Brisbane to play for Western Suburbs in Queensland Premier Cricket. He was the second Indigenous Queenslander to earn a rookie contract, back in 2016. Of Worimi heritage through his mother’s side, he’s spoken about what his background means to him — and his Test debut made him the fifth First Nations man to play Test cricket for Australia.
Test Career
Doggett’s journey took patience. He debuted for Queensland in 2017-18 and was named in a Test squad as early as 2018 (against Pakistan) without playing. For seven years he watched Cummins, Starc and Hazlewood hold the attack together. Then he moved to South Australia in 2021-22 under Jason Gillespie — a fellow Indigenous quick — and everything clicked: 110 wickets at 24.5 for SA compared to 56 at 30.8 for Queensland. In the summer before his debut he took 13 wickets at 14.69 in just two Shield games, and the 11-wicket haul in the 2024-25 Shield final (11 for 140, the best ever in a Shield final, player of the match) sealed it.
He made his Test debut in the first Ashes Test of 2025-26 at Perth on 21 November 2025 (cap 472) — Australia’s first fast-bowling Test debutant in four years. Alongside Scott Boland, it was the first time two Indigenous cricketers played in the same Australian Test XI. In 2 Tests, he took 7 wickets at 30.71 with a best of 3 for 51. A major hamstring injury in February 2026 kept him out for months, but he’s back at full fitness, pushing for a Border-Gavaskar Trophy spot with Australia A in India.
ODI Career
Not played yet.
T20I Career
Not played yet.
Domestic Career
Doggett’s first-class record is the story of a bowler who kept getting better: 53 matches, 203 wickets at 26.56, nine five-fors, best of 6 for 15. The move from Queensland to South Australia in 2021-22 transformed him — 110 wickets at 24.5 for SA, including that historic 11-wicket haul in the Shield final against his old state. Last summer he took 33 Shield wickets at 23.18. Player of the match in a title win — that’s how you earn a Baggy Green.
Franchise Career
Doggett has no major overseas franchise record to speak of. His T20 work is concentrated in Australia: 51 T20 matches, 44 wickets at 30.59 with a best of 5 for 35. The BBL is his franchise home.
BBL Career
Doggett is a BBL journeyman: Brisbane Heat, Sydney Thunder, Adelaide Strikers, and now the Melbourne Renegades. He’s never been a BBL star — his game is built for the longer formats — but he’s a handy squad quick who can swing the new ball and bowl tough middle overs. The Renegades signed him as part of an aggressive rebuild that also brought in Jonny Bairstow and Ben Manenti, and they clearly value what a Test cricketer brings to a T20 dressing room. He’ll be ready for the Renegades’ BBL|16 opener in Chennai on 12 December.
Season-by-Season Highlights
- Earlier seasons: Stints with the Heat, Thunder and Strikers as a squad seamer.
- BBL|16 (2026-27): Melbourne Renegades — arriving as a Test cricketer, alongside new recruits Jonny Bairstow and Ben Manenti in an exciting rebuild.
Playing Style & Strengths
Doggett is a fast outswing bowler who moves the ball away from right-handers with consistency. He relies on skid and late movement rather than raw pace, creating problems through variation. His Shield record — 203 wickets at 26.56 with nine five-fors — shows how effective that is. He’s also a competitor: the carpenter who drove three hours round-trip twice a week to play Premier Cricket doesn’t lack for work ethic.
Recent Form & What to Watch
The hamstring injury in February 2026 was a setback, but Doggett is back at full fitness with Australia A in India, pushing for a Border-Gavaskar Trophy spot. For the Renegades, he’s a valuable new-ball option in a squad that’s been aggressively rebuilt. Watch how he goes in BBL|16 — if the outswing is humming, he could finally become a BBL regular to match his Shield and Test credentials.
Key Stats
| Format | Mat | Wkts | Avg | Best |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tests | 2 | 7 | 30.71 | 3/51 |
| ODIs | 0 | — | — | — |
| T20Is | 0 | — | — | — |
| First-class | 53 | 203 | 26.56 | 6/15 |
| T20 | 51 | 44 | 30.59 | 5/35 |
Last verified: 18 October 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which BBL team does Brendan Doggett play for?
The Melbourne Renegades. He previously played for the Brisbane Heat, Sydney Thunder and Adelaide Strikers.
When did Doggett make his Test debut?
21 November 2025, in the first Ashes Test of 2025-26 at Perth (cap 472) — Australia’s first fast-bowling Test debutant in four years.
Is Doggett an Indigenous Australian?
Yes. He’s of Worimi heritage through his mother’s side and the fifth First Nations person to play Test cricket for Australia.
See the BBL 2027 schedule for Renegades fixtures, meet the other BBL 2027 teams, and check the BBL 2027 points table once the season starts.