Australia selector explains ‘very difficult decision’ of dropping Nathan McSweeney

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Australia’s chid selector George Bailey has addressed the decision to replace Nathan McSweeney with 19-year-old Sam Konstas for the Boxing Day Test against India, explaining that the move was intended to bring a “point of difference” to the squad. Australia recently announced their 15-member team for the final two Tests of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, with Konstas coming in for Mcsweeny, who had only made his Test debut in this BGT series opener in Perth.

McSweeney, who debuted in the ongoing series, was dropped after just three matches, a move that sparked mixed reactions amongst fans and former cricketers alike. However, Bailey emphasised that the decision was made to strengthen Australia’s top-order batting, which has struggled against India’s formidable pace attack, particularly Jasprit Bumrah, who has been in some record-breaking form down under.

Border Gavaskar Trophy: Full Coverage

“We remain confident Nathan has the ability and temperament to succeed at Test level in the future…It was a difficult decision to leave him out,” Bailey told cricket.com.au on Mcsweeny.

“It has clearly been a challenge at the top of the order for batters throughout the series, and we want to provide the option of a different line-up for the next two matches… Sam gets a call-up to the Test squad for the first time. His style of batting offers a point of difference and we look forward to watching his game develop further,” he added.

Australia’s batting unit took a concerning shape in the second innings of the Brisbane Test, where the lineup faltered despite a stellar first-innings performance. Travis Head had smashed 152 off 160 balls, and Steve Smith added a solid 101, but their collapse in the latter innings raised questions about the consistency of their opening pair in Mcsweeny and Usman Khawaja. McSweeney, who was shifted to the opener’s role despite being a middle-order batter in domestic cricket, struggled to adapt, scoring only 72 runs across six innings—a record low for an Australian opener in their first six innings in over five decades.

Khawaja, the senior opener, has also faced challenges, averaging just 12 runs in the series with a top score of 21. However, the selectors chose to back Khawaja while dropping McSweeney, prioritising experience over youth.

Can Konstas make chance count?

The inclusion of Konstas reflects a bold decision aimed at revitalising the lineup. Konstas has been in stellar form during the 2024-25 domestic season, with his most notable performance coming in a pink-ball practice match against India for the Prime Minister’s XI. He scored a blistering 107 off 97 balls at Manuka Oval, including 14 boundaries and a six, showcasing his ability to thrive under pressure and adapt to challenging conditions.

Bailey expressed confidence in Konstas, highlighting his aggressive stroke play and versatility, which could provide the Australian batting order with much-needed stability and dynamism in the high-stakes Boxing Day Test set to begin on December 26 in Melbourne.

AUSTRALIA SQUAD FOR LAST 2 TESTS OF BGT 2024-25

Pat Cummins (c), Travis Head (vc), Steve Smith (vc), Sean Abbott, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Sam Konstas, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Jhye Richardson, Mitchell Starc, Beau Webster.

Published By:

Debodinna Chakraborty

Published On:

Dec 20, 2024

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