The 31-year-old allrounder top-scored for Australia in his first innings with the bat, his half-century helping revitalise the hosts after they slipped to 4-39 early on day two of the decisive fifth Test.
On the greenest SCG wicket in recent memory, Webster (57 runs from 105 balls) became only the second Tasmanian to reach 50 runs in his first Test innings, after the great Ricky Ponting.
The end was nigh for Pat Cummins' side after Webster was caught behind from Prasidh Krishna (3-42), the side all out for 181 in reply to 185 a little more than three overs later.
Beau Webster receives his Baggy Green from Mark Waugh ❤️— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) Learn more about Test player number 469: https://t.co/sz9KelxfVA#AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/shZg8e64j8January 2, 2025
After returning solid figures of 0-29 from 13 overs in the first innings, Webster snared his first Test wicket in a hectic final session on day two, when India (6-141) returned to the crease.
Webster (1-24) was exultant and swamped by teammates after new No.3 Shubman Gill mistimed his slog and edged to Alex Carey behind the stumps.
With the scalp, Webster became the first Australian since Ashton Agar in 2013 to score a half-century and take a wicket on Test debut.
Webster could have had a second wicket had Steve Smith held onto a diving chance on Ravindra Jadeja in the penultimate over of the day.
In the first innings, the towering debutant had taken two low catches in the slips cordon to help Boland to the second-best figures of his Test career (4-31).
Beau Webster put in a strong first shift with the ball, with 13 well-controlled overs. (Dan Himbrechts/AAP PHOTOS)
Webster now looks a strong chance to add to his Test caps on the upcoming tour of Sri Lanka, which fellow allrounder Cameron Green will again miss through injury.
The reigning Sheffield Shield player of the year will look to Boland as proof that there are opportunities for late bloomers who make the most of their chances.
Like Boland did, Webster has pieced together a strong body of work at Shield level ahead of his Test debut, becoming only the second man in competition history to take 30 wickets and score 900 runs in a season last summer.
At 32, Boland was even older than Webster when he first played Test cricket, bursting onto the scene with an unforgettable performance against England at the MCG three summers ago.
He is now Australia's leading replacement pace option, and has been the side's best player this Test.
"Scotty was a bit like me," Webster said at stumps on day one.
"We sort of plugged away for years and did pretty well and then got an opportunity. He's gone on and he looks every bit of a Test cricketer if not one of the best in the world.
"I'm hoping I can follow in those footsteps, that would be nice. He's been world class and if I can just contribute while I'm in the team with some catching, some wickets and hopefully some runs, it'd be a nice way for however long it lasts."
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