“I’ve been able to perform pretty consistently over the past couple of years in Shield cricket. I feel like my game is constantly getting better and improving,” McSweeney said. “I feel like I’m playing probably the best cricket I have. It’s nice to spend some time in the middle against India A in Mackay and here at the MCG and feel like my game’s ready.”
McSweeney was only given the word by national selector George Bailey after the end of the second A game at the MCG. “There’s been a lot of talk about it, didn’t really know until I finally got the word, still probably hasn’t quite sunk in yet,” he said. “Getting a lot of nice messages. Very lucky and grateful for the opportunity.”
One of those messages was from Marnus Labuschagne, who has been a mentor to McSweeney from his days with Queensland and with who there are often comparisons.
“That was a nice phone call to Marnus last night as well. He’s super chuffed for me, and I’m thankful for his knowledge and the way he’s helped me through the start of my career,” McSweeney said. “At times I probably look similar, and I like to think I’ve got my own way of playing, but definitely using Marnus as a resource, that’s been very helpful for me.”
Despite just one match at the top of the order, there is confidence McSweeney is ready for the role. “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.
For McSweeney, very little changes. “Other than walk out one position earlier than I normally do, my prep is the exact same,” he said. “I trained with the new ball batting at three, and you can be in there in the first over of the game.”
The decisions taken by the selectors follows their recent mantra of picking the best six batters rather than focusing too heavily on the positions they traditionally occupy. The vacancy at the top of the order arose after the decision to move Steven Smith back to No. 4 following his four-Test stay earlier this year after the retirement of David Warner.
Overall in first-class cricket McSweeney averages 38.16 with six centuries in 34 matches but over the last two years that average rises to 43.44 with all his hundreds coming during that period. In a sign of his standing among the selectors he was handed Australia A captaincy before he led his state, South Australia.
Harris looked to have made a strong case for selection with a hard-fought 74 in the first innings against India A in Melbourne but it wasn’t enough to return him to the Test fold. Sam Konstas sealed victory in the match with a fine innings at No. 4 but after early-season excitement with his twin hundreds against South Australia it has been decided it is a little too early for the 19-year-old. Cameron Bancroft’s horror run of form meant he drifted well out of contention but Bailey insisted he and Harris remained in the selectors’ thoughts.
“It’s a tough one because whenever the information is first given it potentially feels hollow that they’ve been overlooked again,” Bailey said. “But as I said its just to be really clear to them that not being selected is not us saying that we don’t think you aren’t a good player, we just have to make a decision on who is going to fit the role best and at the moment we think that’s Nathan.”
Inglis will captain Australia for the first time later on Sunday in the deciding ODI against Pakistan and then in the three-match T20I series meaning he will link up with the Test squad after those matches are complete.
Australia squad for 1st Test vs India
Pat Cummins (capt), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Nathan McSweeney, Steven Smith, Mitchell Starc
Andrew McGlashan is a deputy editor at ESPNcricinfo