McSweeney’s Test Debut in Border-Gavaskar
The uncapped McSweeney will make his Test debut in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy opener at Perth Stadium on Friday, parachuted in at the top of the order alongside Usman Khawaja after Warner’s retirement this year.
He has big shoes to fill and goes into the game having only opened once before at first-class level, in a warm-up Australia A match this month.
Cummins said he must be himself when he fronts a world-class Indian attack spearheaded by Jasprit Bumrah on what is expected to be a fiery pitch.
“Davey [David Warner] is very hard to replace in many ways, but I think the most important thing for someone like Nath [Nathan McSweeney] coming in is to play his own game,” he said. “He doesn’t need to strike at 80 like Davey did if that’s not his game.”
Other than McSweeney, Australia has a settled side that is on a mission to win their first Test series against India in almost a decade.
Only Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon, and Steve Smith remain from the squad that last won in Australia back in 2014-15.
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Since then they have slumped to four straight Border-Gavaskar series losses, including two at home.
“It’s kind of one of the last things to tick off for a lot of us,” Cummins told reporters of beating their big rival. “Almost every challenge that we’ve had thrown with us over the last few years we’ve stepped up and done well.”
“To do that for another year, another home summer, would kind of cement this.”
While Australia will go into the first of five Tests with their starting XI locked in, India is set for a shake-up after their devastating 3-0 home series loss to New Zealand.
Rohit Sharma will likely miss the match following the birth of his second child, with Bumrah assuming the captaincy.
Number three Shubman Gill is in doubt with an injured thumb, while the bowling line-up behind Bumrah is yet to be decided. Nevertheless, Cummins is under no illusions about the task ahead.
“There will always be pressure when you are playing at home,” he said. “We’re all excited, we know India is right up there with the best teams.”
“They are missing a couple of guys we are more familiar with, but we know that whoever they pick they will think are good enough for Test cricket.”
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