Test opener Nathan McSweeney on his debut summer playing for Australia

Nathan McSweeney’s summer had its highs and lows – dropped, recalled, and tested by the best. But the young batter hopes his time in the baggy green is just beginning.

Nathan McSweeney takes comfort in the Test greats who started their careers in similar fashion.

McSweeney’s summer had the ups and downs of a rollercoaster but he trusts he “will be better for it”.

He faced a baptism of Jasprit Bumrah fire, was dropped and then recalled to the squad all in the space of four months.

McSweeney says if he was offered three Tests at the start of the summer he would have “jumped at it” but is now assured he has more to give.

“I have been lucky enough that a lot of ex-players and people have reached out to me,” McSweeney, 25, said.

“The comforting thing is that there’s been a lot of people in my position who have been dropped from the Test side and got their way back in to play a lot of games for Australia.

“‘It’s not where it starts, it’s where it ends’ is probably what has stuck with me. Hopefully, my journey in the baggy green has a lot of cricket left in it.

“I will keep working hard, trying to develop my game and hopefully be right thereabouts in the tours coming up.”

Nathan McSweeney jumped into the cauldron of Test cricket against India superstar Jasprit Bumrah. Picture: Chris Hyde/Getty Images)

McSweeney’s rise into Test calculations came through a change of positions.

He was elevated from his South Australia Sheffield Shield position of No.3 to opening.

McSweeney didn’t think there was a huge change from first drop to first ball and felt he was more than capable against the Indian quicks other than Bumrah.

“I think what I found challenging is obviously Bumrah with the new ball, besides that I felt like the other guys I lined up OK,” he said.

“The amount of balls he (Bumrah) puts in a good area with great skill at good pace (was the biggest challenge).

“I think for me at least I have experienced who everyone keeps saying ‘one of the best bowlers in the world, doesn’t get much tougher than that’.

“I think, hopefully, if I get another opportunity – whether that be in the middle order or opening – I will be better for it.”

Looking back on the summer, McSweeney takes something out of the series Bumrah went on to have.

Bumrah was named player of the series despite Australia regaining the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

McSweeney felt his game stacked up against the Indian quicks aside from Bumrah. Picture: Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images

“It gives me confidence that I am not too far off this level. I felt like when I was playing the other bowlers I was playing OK and was able to put them under a bit of pressure and score,” McSweeney said.

“Looking back on it now, (in) Adelaide I made 39 and got out early on the second day. There’s a lot of what ifs, but if you can nail one of those starts, progress, make a big score, it might have looked a little bit differently.

“That’s all part of the game, everything happens for a reason, I got plenty of learnings that came out of that.

“I definitely feel like my game is good enough and I can’t wait for another opportunity, hopefully.”

McSweeney was axed after the third Test in Brisbane as the series went to Boxing Day 1-1.

The selectors wanted a point of difference against Bumrah and looked to teen tyro Sam Konstas in McSweeney’s place.

“They (selectors) didn’t have much for me in what to work on, they were more picking a player to play a different style of cricket,” he said.

“They see that my game, there is a future in it, hopefully in the Australian team eventually, they just needed someone to offer a different skill set.

“As I said before, I think the other guys in the team know what they do really well and double down and keep doing that.

“For me, getting back to Shield cricket, keep trying to nail what I do really well and hopefully if I get another opportunity I can show that at Test level eventually.”

McSweeney took a stack of learnings from Usman Khawaja and Steve Smith in Sri Lanka. Picture: Chris Hyde/Getty Images

Despite his relatively tame dropping, McSweeney was unsure where he stood with national selectors until he was recalled for the tour of Sri Lanka.

While he was not used in the 2-0 smashing of the hosts, McSweeney spent the trip learning from Steve Smith and Usman Khawaja.

He took away how trusting Smith and Khawaja are in their own game, refusing to jump at major adjustments when short of runs.

“I think once you get dropped, you don’t quite know where you stand,” he said.

“You hope you haven’t seen enough and haven’t slid down the radar too much, so it was nice to get the news that I was heading to Sri Lanka, it was great.

“I thought the way we played was awesome, we played tremendously well, to work in the nets there in the different conditions, see the guys who have been successful in the games there.

“Hopefully, if I get back and play in the subcontinent at some stage in my career, I am better for that experience and have a few methods I can turn to.”

He returned to BBL team Brisbane Heat and immediately found runs. Picture: Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images

McSweeney will play for South Australia for the rest of the domestic season, as Australia doesn’t play a Test until the World Test Championship final in June.

He has “nothing lined up at the minute” in terms of a County deal but would love to stake a claim for the Australian team in English conditions.

“I’m itching to get over there and play some Country cricket if the opportunity comes up,” he said.

“Obviously there’s a few very important Test tours, all I can do now is nail these three games for South Australia.

“We’re in a nice position as a state to capitalise on so far, hopefully nail that, play some County cricket and be around the squads is the dream goal.

“Hopefully, an opportunity is not too far away.”