Australian chief selector George Bailey has defended the selection of Nathan McSweeney as an opener for the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy opener against India, despite criticism from former Test opener Ed Cowan.
Cowan labeled McSweeney’s promotion as “a guess” due to his limited experience opening the batting. However, Bailey expressed confidence in the 25-year-old’s abilities, emphasizing his technique and temperament.
McSweeney, who usually bats at No. 3 or No. 4 for South Australia, had never opened the batting until this week’s Australia A match against India A at the MCG. His first outing as an opener saw him score 14 and 25, leading to criticism about his selection.
Cowan argued that McSweeney’s recent form and lack of experience opening the batting made his selection questionable. “The data would suggest at the moment in his career, he doesn’t have the technique nor the temperament to do it,” Cowan said.
Bailey, however, believes that McSweeney has the potential to succeed at the Test level. “We like his technique, temperament; we think he’s got the game to succeed at Test level,” Bailey said.
Bailey also pointed out that McSweeney’s inclusion is about more than just individual stats. He believes McSweeney’s selection brings balance to the team’s composition. “We think he complements the team, and that’s an important factor too—the balance of what you want your make-up of your XI to look like,” Bailey said.
McSweeney’s selection is a gamble, but Bailey is confident that he has the potential to succeed. The upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy will be a major test for the young opener, but if he can perform well, he could cement his place in the Australian Test team for years to come.
