Nathan McSweeney has described being axed from Australia’s Test team after just three matches as devastating.
New South Wales teen sensation Sam Konstas is set to replace McSweeney as Usman Khawaja’s opening partner for the Boxing Day Test after being added to Australia’s squad on Friday.
Neither McSweeney, nor Khawaja, made a score above 40 across the first three Tests of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy as India’s strike weapon Jasprit Bumrah continually made a mess of Australia’s top order.
McSweeney, who opened for Australia despite batting at three, four and five in the Sheffield Shield for South Australia, will link up with his Brisbane teammates for the Heat’s Big Bash League title defence.
“Devastated. I get the dream come true and then didn’t quite work out the way I wanted,” the 25-year-old told the Seven Network on Saturday.
“It’s all part of it and I’ll get my head down and get back in the nets and work really hard, and hopefully be ready to go for my next opportunity.
“It’s the game we are in. If you don’t take your opportunity, and you are not performing as well as you want to, your position’s never safe.
“I missed out a few times with the bat and unfortunately I wasn’t able to take my opportunity. But I’ll work really hard to make sure, if the opportunity comes around again, I am definitely ready.”
McSweeney finished his first stint as an Australian player with 72 runs at an average of 14.40 with a top score of 39.
Khawaja is averaging 12.6 for the series with a top score of 21, while Marnus Labuschagne and Mitch Marsh also have averages in the teens through the first three Tests.
McSweeney won praise for his 39 in the first innings of the Adelaide pink ball Test, surviving a brutal night session with Marnus Labuschagne to help put Australia in the box seat.
Former Australia captain Michael Clarke savaged the selection panel for dropping McSweeney.
“No matter who they picked in that opening position, they had to give him the series,” Clarke said on his Beyond 23 podcast.
“I think the selectors have got this wrong.
“What happens if Usman Khawaja in two Test matches retires? Does McSweeney then come back in, or does he go to the back of the queue?
“[The selectors have] got to come out and say ‘We made a mistake picking him’.”
McSweeney was the only member of the Australian teams from the first three Tests under 30 years of age.
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