New Delhi: Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting is floating Australia A skipper Nathan McSweeney’s name as the potential candidate to fill in the vacant opener’s role in the senior Australia men’s team for the upcoming home Test series against India. Ponting believes McSweeney is a better bet to make Test debut against India as compared to teenager Sam Konstas, who recently flopped in both innings in the ongoing “unofficial Test” in Mackay against India A.
Along with Konstas and McSweeney, veteran Marcus Harris was the other candidate giving an audition for the opener’s slot in the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT). McSweeney had a 39 in the first innings and an unbeaten 47 in the second, till the third evening of the clash. He looked the most assured of the trio, making a claim to debut for the Aussies against India.
“I thought a bit more about it, and he (Konstas) is so young and he has probably not even played on grounds like Optus Stadium or at the Gabba. He wouldn’t have played a pink-ball (match) at Adelaide Oval either. So there’s a lot of things that stack up against the young guy, although there’s no doubt that he’s got talent,” Ponting told the ICC Review show.
Finishing the day on 47 not out, is Nathan McSweeney firming for a Test debut? #AUSAvINDA
Day three report from Mackay: https://t.co/5ss0795DKW pic.twitter.com/3CgahB9OIq
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) November 2, 2024
What about Bancroft?
Ponting is not of the opinion that Australia chief selector George Bailey and his panel would go back to the likes of Cameron Bancroft and Harris, which makes McSweeney the obvious choice. “Another thing that I’d said then was that I don’t think they’d go back to a (Cameron) Bancroft or (Marcus) Harris – because if they’re willing to do that, they would’ve done it the last year.
“So the only name left for me more or less is Nathan McSweeney… he got the most out of any of those guys from the A game in Australia at the moment. And he’s more experienced,” Ponting added.
Ponting also said that McSweeney has captained Australia A in the past and does the same currently. Therefore he is leaning towards the 25-year-old for that opening role at the start of the Australian summer.
