Nathan McSweeney happy to take first ball in Perth Test debut

The Aussie selectors’ choice to replace Steve Smith as Test opener has already been given two important roles by his new teammates.

Nathan McSweeney is confident the conditions in Perth will suit his natural game and says he is “comfortable” taking the first ball in a new opening partnership with Usman Khawaja.

The 25-year-old was given the nod to move into an opening role to make his Test debut against India after he was trialled at the top of the order in last week’s Australia A game.

McSweeney has not played a first-class game at Perth Stadium, but anticipated a bouncy pitch that he said would suit his technique when the Border-Gavaskar series begins on November 22.

“Yesterday after the game, George (Bailey) pulled me aside and gave me the news. Mum and Dad were straight on the phone, they were super happy,” McSweeney told reporters in Melbourne on Sunday.

“Hopefully they were very proud, and I can’t wait for the week to come.

“I’ve played a few Shield games at the WACA, a couple of T20s at (Perth Stadium) – no doubt the wicket bounces well, and I think it probably suits my game, growing up in Brisbane playing on wickets that are probably not too (dissimilar) to that.”

Nathan McSweeney will make his Test debut in Perth against India on November 22 after captaining Australia A this month. Picture: Darrian Traynor / Getty Images

The steady right-hander said his new teammates had been quick to remind him of Khawaja’s reluctance to face the first ball of the innings.

It still probably hasn’t quite sunk in yet. I’m getting a lot of nice messages … a lot of the boys have been on WhatsApp,” he said.

“I’ve heard that Uzzie is not the biggest fan of (the first ball) … I faced the first ball in both innings out here, so I’m comfortable with that too, and I’ve already been told that by a couple of the boys.

“I just got a text from Travis Head saying, ‘I can give you my bat-pad pads’, so I’ll be straight under there as well I would’ve thought.”

The South Australian captain, who grew up in Queensland before joining the Redbacks three years ago, said he was excited for the chance to play alongside Marnus Labuschagne at the top level.

He credited the Australian no. 3 with guiding him through the early years of his professional career as he battled on the fringes of the Queensland side.

“That was a nice phone call to Marnus last night as well. He’s super chuffed for me, and I’m thankful for his knowledge and the way he’s helped me through the start of my career,” McSweeney said.

McSweeney (left) and Marnus Labuschagne toss the coin before the start of a South Australia vs. Queensland One-Day Cup game last month. Picture: Chris Hyde / Getty Images

“I can’t wait to be in the same team as him, and hopefully spend some time in the middle together.

“He’s a great thinker, or a deep thinker, and (I’ve tried) to pick apart things that work for me and what doesn’t.

“At times I probably look similar, and I like to think I’ve got my own way of playing, but definitely using Marnus as a resource, that’s been very helpful for me.”

McSweeney said he would be “pinching himself” in the Test changerooms as he reflected on his first experience facing the Australian bowlers in the nets in early 2019.

“They were in Ashes prep when I was about 19 and I was rookie contracted for Queensland,” he said.

“I had Josh Hazlewood, Starc, Cummins all in the net session, and walked out to bat feeling like I was about 4’11’’, and it felt like the ball was like a golf ball coming down.

“I remember calling Dad and I said, ‘I’m not sure how anyone faces these guys’. Hopefully it’s a little bit different now, and I can hold my own.”

Originally published as Nathan McSweeney happy to take first ball in Perth Test debut