Selectors reveal the numbers behind McSweeney opening gamble

Australia’s selectors have gambled on Nathan McSweeney to partner Usman Khawaja against India this summer, and chosen wicketkeeper/batter Josh Inglis ahead of a specialist opener as the other new face in the team to convene for the first Test in Perth.

While 25-year-old McSweeney’s selection in the 13-man squad for the first Test had been widely expected over the past week, selectors overlooked Victorian opener Marcus Harris in favour of the versatile Inglis.

Nathan McSweeney is part of Australia’s squad for the first Test against India.Credit: Chris Hopkins

Selection chair George Bailey argued that South Australia’s top order difficulties over the past few seasons meant that No.3 McSweeney was effectively an opener anyway, and brought numbers to the table to justify his case.

He has also been identified as a future leader – a significant factor in the selectors’ thinking now that Pat Cummins has indicated he will captain the Test side until 2027.

“He’s a player whose growth is on a great trajectory, a very organised, composed player at the crease who has a game that will suit Test cricket,” Bailey said outside the MCG on Sunday.

“In the 15 or so [Sheffield Shield] games he’s been batting for South Australia I think he’s been in before the 10th over about 20 times, so he’s had plenty of experience and I think his game and the way he plays, I don’t think the adjustment from three to opening will be too much.

“Marcus Harris is still in really good touch. We just think Nathan’s going really well. Whenever the information is first given it potentially feels hollow that they’ve been overlooked again. But it’s just to be really clear to them that by not being selected it isn’t us saying we don’t think you’re a good player, but we have to make a decision to fit that role best.”

Despite strong domestic records over the past two years, Harris and fellow opener Cameron Bancroft’s Test careers are now under a cloud given both are in their 30s.

Inglis’ selection alongside McSweeney maintains Australia’s recent tendency to choose the best batters in the view of the national panel and then find roles for them from there. At 29, Inglis was also among the younger players available, and Bailey said his ability to shift between white- and red-ball formats with consistent success had been part of decision-making.

Recently anointed the latest Australian white-ball captain, Inglis has been one of the form batters of the Sheffield Shield this season, compiling 297 runs at an average of 99. He goes on the attack similarly to how Travis Head and Mitchell Marsh have influenced games for Australia.

Australian Test squad to face India

• Pat Cummins (NSW/Penrith Cricket Club) (c)
• Scott Boland (VIC/Frankston Peninsula Cricket Club)
• Alex Carey (SA/Glenelg Cricket Club)
• Josh Hazlewood (NSW/St George Cricket Club)
• Travis Head (SA/Tea Tree Gully Cricket Club) (vc)
• Josh Inglis (WA/Joondalup Cricket Club)
• Usman Khawaja (QLD/Valley District Cricket Club)
• Marnus Labuschagne (QLD/Redlands Cricket Club)
• Nathan Lyon (NSW/Northern District Cricket Club)
• Mitchell Marsh (WA/Fremantle Cricket Club)
• Nathan McSweeney (SA/Glenelg Cricket Club)
• Steve Smith (NSW/Sutherland Cricket Club) (vc)
• Mitchell Starc (NSW/Manly Warringah Cricket Club)

“Just think his game’s in a really good place, particularly for certain roles in the team, love his ability to put pressure back on the opposition at the right times and drive the game forward,” Bailey said. “So he certainly has a game that at different times, in Asia or somewhere like that could come in.

“Particularly if you look back at the last couple of years when he has come back into Shield cricket, he hasn’t had long bursts of Shield cricket, so his ability to bounce in and out of formats has been really impressive.”

McSweeney has 291 runs at 97 this year for South Australia, to go with scores of 39, 88 not out, 14 and 25 for Australia A. The last two innings were as an opener.

The 25-year-old will be the first specialist batter to debut for Australia’s men’s Test team since Will Pucovski in 2021.

Nathan McSweeney in action for Australia A.Credit: Getty Images

Scott Boland has also been included alongside frontline quicks Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc. The loss of Michael Neser with a hamstring injury for Australia A is a significant blow to the selectors’ depth charts, and Bailey noted the performance of Brendan Doggett against India A in Mackay among others in the pace bowling queue.

“Icing on the cake is a good way to describe it,” Bailey said of how he had assessed the Australia A games before informing players of their selection on Saturday night. “We had an idea of which way we wanted to go.

“We really value Australia A cricket – the great Australian bake-off, it wasn’t that for us, but I think it’s important to put a bit of an onus on these games. It would’ve been disrespectful to the game to have announced this squad a week ago. [But] they don’t necessarily send someone from the bottom of the pile to the top.”

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