Former England captain Michael Vaughan expressed sympathy for young Australian batter Nathan McSweeney, noting that he has likely faced the toughest challenge for a debutant in Test cricket over the past 10 years.
McSweeney struggled against India’s pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah in the first three Tests of BGT 2024-25 and was dropped for the final two matches. McSweeney made his debut in the opening Test in Perth, scoring 10 and 0.
In the pink-ball Test in Adelaide, he scored 39 and 10*, followed by scores of 9 and 4 in the third Test at The Gabba. Speaking to Fox Sports, Vaughan commented that the 25-year-old was confronted with a challenge unlike any other Test debutant has faced in the last decade.
He commented:
“I look at McSweeney and think I don’t think there’s a player who has had a harder start to their career. I feel for the kid, because of all the people that I’ve seen come into Test cricket over the last 10 years, I don’t think anyone’s been given a harder challenge.”
“To face Bumrah in the conditions that he’s had to face now, the pink ball under lights in his second game, in Perth it did all sorts and in Brisbane the ball was moving around,” the 50-year-old went on to add.
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Vaughan suggested Australia could have supported McSweeney for the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne but added that being dropped might not be negative for the Queensland-born cricketer.
“I thought McSweeney would play in Melbourne, and if he struggled, they’d bring in Sam (Konstas) for his home Test at the SCG. In the long run, this won’t hurt McSweeney. I believe he’ll become an Australian Test cricketer, but likely in a middle-order role, not at the top,” said the former England captain.
Sam Konstas replaced Nathan McSweeney in Australia’s squad for the final two BGT 2024-25 Tests
Sam Konstas (19) has replaced McSweeney in Australia’s squad for the final two BGT 2024-25 Tests against India. The young batsman scored 107 off 97 balls for the Prime Minister’s XI against India in a two-day practice match at Manuka Oval in Canberra, hitting 14 fours and a six. Konstas has played 11 first-class matches, amassing 718 runs at an average of 42.23.
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