For a batsman who has never opened an innings in a first-class game, making his Test debut in a series where Jasprit Bumrah’s new ball mastery has been a constant onslaught has proved too much of a hurdle for Nathan McSweeney.
McSweeney, 25, was dropped from Australia’s squad for the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne and was replaced by promising teenager Sam Konstas.
After returning to Adelaide from Brisbane — where he scored the bulk of his first-class runs as a middle-order batsman for South Australia — McSweeney revealed that Australia’s chief selector, George Bailey, told him he had a poor performance against Bumrah. After only three games, he was demoted.
“They had seen my results in the first three Tests against Bumrah and George said they wanted to try someone else who has a slightly different skill set and fits the batting order,” McSweeney was quoted as saying by ESPNCricinfo to Newscorp.
“I hit a few balls and spent some time out there which helped my confidence but I didn’t get the scores I wanted. As everyone was saying it probably wouldn’t be too hard. “
McSweeney showed some signs of promise, notably being flexible enough to see the new ball under the lights in the final session of Day 1 which allowed Australia to take control. But he could not make an impact by scoring 39 runs out of 72 runs in 6 innings.
“Learning as you go is a different challenge. In Sheffield Shield cricket you face a good bowler and you may see him again after Christmas. It’s different and strange to play a five-Test series and a week later to play against him in the front row, so you’re thinking a lot about runs,” said the 25-year-old.
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