Bumrah’s bunny: McSweeney’s dirty dozen against Jasprit’s fantastic 4

Nathan McSweeney is having the worst start to a Test career of any Australian opening batsman in the past 40 years after being dismissed for the fourth time in a row by Indian pace bowler Jasprit Bumrah.

Australian selectors were adamant before the Border-Gavaskar series that McSweeney was the right man to replace David Warner at the top of the order despite no proper first-class experience as an opener.

McSweeney showed promise in Adelaide with a gritty innings of 39, mostly under lights, but failed to back that up on day two at the Gabba by edging Bumrah to Virat Kohli at second slip for nine.

After five Test innings, McSweeney has made 68 runs at an average of 17, although his unbeaten second innings in Adelaide was cut short because Australia chased down a low total to win the match. McSweeney has only scored 12 runs off Bumrah in his five innings.

Not since Steve Smith in 1984 has an Australian opener made fewer runs or had a worse average from their first five Test innings.

The last Australian opening batsman to make their debut, Will Pucovski, managed 72 runs from a couple of innings against India at the SCG in 2021.

Marcus Harris (164 runs at 32.8), Aaron Finch (181 at 36.2), Cam Bancroft (126 at 31.5) and Matt Renshaw (131 at 32.75) all had better returns after five innings.

Going back a little further, McSweeney’s mediocre record doesn’t compare to Phil Hughes (383 at 76.6), Phil Jaques (346 at 69.2), Matthew Hayden (150 at 30) and Mark Taylor (203 at 40.6).

Smith, not related to the Steve Smith in the current Australian team, made just 41 runs at 8.2 in his first five innings as an opener against the West Indies in 1984.

Nathan McSweeney on day two at the Gabba.Credit: Getty Images

Opener Robbie Kerr was only given four innings in 1985 before being given the axe after scoring 31 runs at 7.75 against New Zealand.

The concern for selectors is McSweeney’s horror record against Bumrah, with potentially five innings to come in the series.

McSweeney is Bumrah’s bunny after being dismissed four times while making just 12 runs from 52 balls.

“His stranglehold over Nathan McSweeney continues,” former Australian Test player Adam Gilchrist said in commentary for Fox.

If Australia beat India in the third Test, McSweeney’s place in the team is not likely to be under threat but a string of low scores has hardly cemented his spot.

Even as a No.3 or No.4 in first-class matches, McSweeney’s record when coming to the crease in the first few overs of an innings is underwhelming.

Former Australian opener Ed Cowan foreshadowed issues McSweeney might have at Test level before the series began.

“The data would suggest at the moment in his career, he doesn’t have the technique nor the temperament to do it,” Cowan said on the ABC’s Grandstand Cricket Podcast last month.

Speaking before the series, Australia’s chief selector George Bailey said: “In our minds, that [opening] it won’t be a major adjustment for him. Talking to Nathan, the way he prepares to go and play for South Australia, when he does bat at No.3, is it’s a very similar mindset and very similar way he’ll approach it. We think he’s got the game that will succeed at Test level.”