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Nathan McSweeney could achieve a rare feat of having opened the batting for the Australian team, before he has done the same for his state side.
Nathan McSweeney could be the first Australian in 47 years to achieve this rare feat. (Image: X)
With Australia still on the lookout for an opening batter to partner Usman Khawaja for the upcoming Test series against India, a young Aussie star does something that hasn’t been done in 47 years, that could raise eyebrows.
Several names have been doing the rounds for the possible pick to open the batting. The likes of Marcus Harris, Sam Konstas, and Cameron Bancroft are among the few who have been tipped to be included in the squad.
But looking at the recent performances, Nathan McSweeney could achieve a rare feat of having opened the batting for the Australian team, before he has done the same for his state side.
The last Aussie to do the same was the Victorian Richie Robinson who opened the batting in the first Ashes Test in 1997. The likes of Aaron Finch, Geoff Marsh and others have also been picked to open the batting for the Test team while batting in the middle-order in the Shield, but they have opened the batting before as well.
In the 47 Shield games that Robinson was a part of, he did not open for a single game and had very minimal experience with the role against counties earlier in the tour.
Sweeney on the other hand has played right from 3 all the way down to 7 in the 33 FC games he has played so far.
The 25-year-old has been in good touch this summer after scoring 541 runs at an average of 90.16. He also had a decent performance in Australia A’s unofficial Test against India A where he scored 39 and an unbeaten 88 in Mackay.
“I think I am playing pretty well at the moment,” McSweeney said on Sunday as quoted by Cricket.com.au, after top-scoring in both innings against India A in Mackay.
“I am confident in my game and I am progressing and playing some of the best innings I have played. Hopefully, I can continue to learn and get better. If the opportunity comes, I feel like I am ready. If it doesn’t, hopefully, I can get the call one day,” he added.
Considering his recent performances, the 25-year-old could be the favourite to take up the vacant spot in the squad left by the injured Cameron Green.
