Former opener Matthew Hayden declared that Australia selectors “backed themselves into a corner,” which led to them picking up a non-specialist opener for the much-awaited Border Gavaskar Trophy against India. Australia found themselves stuck in an opening conundrum after Steven Smith was restored into the middle order. Options were available in the form of Sam Konastas, Marcus Harris and Cameron Bancroft, but the selectors decided to hand young Nathan McSweeney his Test debut alongside Usman Khawaja.
McSweeney, who usually features in the number three spot, will walk into an unknown territory when he steps up in Perth to open alongside Khawaja. Before giving his take on McSweeney’s selection, Hayden opened up about promoting Smith to the opening slot.
After David Warner had his last dance in Test cricket in January, Smith took the brunt on his shoulder and made his case to open for Australia. In his short-lived stint, Smtih could only garner 171 runs at 28.50, making it much more of a forgettable run.
“This is exactly my point and why I disagreed with Steve Smith opening the batting. It wasn’t a slight on Steve Smith’s career. It was more of a plea and call to action around the [domestic] system itself,” he said, as quoted from The Sydney Morning Herald.
With McSweeney entering the fray, at least for the series opener, Hayden was quick to point out the lack of first-class cricket.
“Now the Australian selectors have done exactly what I thought was going to happen, and that was back themselves into a corner, knowing that you had T20s and one-dayers right through the early part of 2024 and zero Test match cricket,” he noted.
During the buildup to the BGT series, India A and Australia A played two unofficial Tests, allowing both sides to look at probable in case of an unwanted situation.
In both games, Australia A opener failed to put up a stand big in number. McSweeney was among those players who were asked to take a swing at the opening slot.
After hammering an unbeaten 88 in his usual spot, the youngster was promoted to the top of the order in the second unofficial Test. But the decision was up to no avail.
He failed to replicate the success he had during the first outing. During his time as an opener, McSweeney could only post 14 and 25 across both innings.
“There has been very little first-class cricket and two Australia A games where they chopped and changed the opening batters. There wasn’t one [sizeable] opening partnership.
“Can you imagine how Marcus Harris is feeling right now? He’s carried the drinks forever and been the incumbent opening batsman, and Bancroft is the same. We just didn’t allow ourselves the luxury of enough time to select on the basis of weight of runs. It’s something which, if you want to quote [my situation], banging down the door was almost an understatement. They were record-breaking years,” he said.
As questions continue to linger about Australia’s new-looking opening pair, Hayden only hopes that McSweeney delivers in one of the most challenging Test series.
“I wouldn’t have had it any other way because I became a better player. It’s fantastic that Nathan gets his opportunity, and God I hope he bangs down the door at Test match level,” Hayden added.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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