Leg and Off: Have Australia got it right by dropping Nathan McSweeney ahead of BGT 2024-25 4th Test?
Australia made a few forced and unforced changes to their squad for the final two Tests against India in Melbourne and Sydney, respectively. With the five-match Border-Gavaskar Trophy nodded at 1-1, the hosts confirmed their 15-member squad on Friday, December 20.
Among others, opening batter Nathan McSweeney's dropping became the talking point. The incoming Sam Konstas will likely take his spot at the top of the order for the Boxing Test, starting December 26.
McSweeney debuted for Australia in the ongoing series and the move to exclude him from the 15 came after only three Tests. Unlike several other nations, Australia have always been hellbent on immediate results and quick to make changes.
Yet, even chief selector George Bailey acknowledged McSweeney being a tad unfortunate to miss out.
"First and foremost, [want to] acknowledge that it's a tough call on Nathan particularly after three Tests. [It was a] really hard decision for Nathan and one that we spent a lot of time deliberating over. Particularly after a small sample size of three Tests…that's never a great phone call is it? Nathan was disappointed," he said via ESPNCricinfo.
Was Nathan McSweeney hard done or was his exclusion justified? Let us analyze this in the upcoming sections.
#1 Terminal combination of Numbers and Credits
Nathan McSweeney deserved the axe if the selection for the final two Tests of the series hinged purely on numbers. The 25-year-old has opened in all three Tests but boasts a dismal average of 14.40 with only 72 runs under his belt.
While those do not make for impressive reading, McSweeney, unlike a few others with poor numbers, also hasn't shored up enough credits like the veterans in the Australian batting lineup.
A solid start is paramount in a potentially low-scoring series between two excellent bowling units, and the youngster's lack of even a 40+ score has rightfully worked against him.
Verdict: McSweeney deserves the axe if only numbers are looked at.
#2 How the scheduling worked against McSweeney
Nathan McSweeney has possibly suffered the most from the scheduling in the ongoing India-Australia series. To potentially rough up the Indian batters and wear out ace pacer Jasprit Bumrah in the first half of the series, Australia opted for Perth, Adelaide (D/N), and Brisbane as the venues for the first three Tests.
They are also three of Australia's most productive Test venues in terms of wins and hence the scheduling is well-justified. However, it meant three seamer-friendly pitches that were the proverbial hell for the openers against the new ball.
As hard as McSweeney fought to weather the storm, the inevitable of 'a delivery having your number on it', eventually happened in each innings of the three Tests, resulting in his sub-par numbers. The final two Tests at Melbourne and Sydney will likely witness more batting-friendly conditions but the young right-hander wouldn't have the opportunity to showcase his skills there.
McSweeney's struggles have coincided with Konstas' terrific run in the domestic circuit with his last three scores reading 56, 88, and 107 in different formats. It is also highly possible that McSweeney playing for South Australia and being a Queenslander played a part in his losing out to Konstas, who plays for New South Wales.
With the Adelaide and Brisbane (South Australia and Queensland's home venue) Tests already done and Sydney (New South Wales' home venue) being the host for the final Test, Konstas may have edged out McSweeney in the selectors' minds.
Verdict: Dropping McSweeney after performances on the toughest batting pitches in the county could have been avoided.
#3 Where is the value for the 3 P's - Patience, Progress, and Potential?
Several intangible factors make the move to drop McSweeney questionable and downright baffling. While the start to his Test career was far from ideal with scores of 10 and 0, McSweeney made incredible progress in the D/N Test in Adelaide.
The 25-year-old scored a crucial 39 off 109 deliveries under lights in inarguably the toughest batting conditions thus far of the series. McSweeney's ability to see off the new ball and the night period helped the middle-order flourish as Australia took a match-winning 157-run lead in the first innings.
Although the hosts were only chasing 19 for victory, the youngster helped himself to a solid 10* in the second innings.
McSweeney's role in Australia's first innings total of 445 in the third Test at Brisbane also cannot be looked at only from a run-scoring perspective. While he scored only nine, the right-hander played 49 deliveries to see off the ever-threatening new ball, resulting in Steve Smith and Travis Head helping themselves to centuries.
With the Test match marred by rain, McSweeney, like all the Aussie batters, was dismissed for four in an attempt to score quick runs for a declaration in the second innings.
Despite his low volume of runs and poor averages, McSweeney has batted 212 deliveries in five completed innings at an average of over 42 balls per dismissal. Keep in mind those 42 deliveries are against inarguably the toughest time for batting in Australian conditions and on the most challenging venues for batting.
That apart, Australia have also, like McSweeney's batting, made progress by dominating the last two Tests after the massive defeat in the series opener. Was bringing in a new opener even warranted when both the player and the team are on an upward curve?
If nothing else, McSweeney has at least got himself accustomed to the intensity of the series and the Indian new-ball bowlers. A new opener for the final two Tests might be a backward step, providing India an opportunity to have the Aussie middle-order batting early and often against the new cherry.
Verdict: Circumstances prove McSweeney's dropping to be a possible 'rush of blood' by the Aussie selectors
#4 The Bumrah factor
There is an unwritten rule in cricket for batters - It is better to get out to different bowlers in different ways than the same bowler or dismissal mode. The thinking behind this is the fact that the opposition can possibly plan better against a batter, who falls in the first category.
Unfortunately for McSweeney, his struggles against Jasprit Bumrah have been well-documented with four of his five dismissals coming against the ace Indian pacer. Yet, who hasn't struggled against Bumrah in this series? He is the leading wicket-taker with 21 scalps at a stunning average of 10.90 through the three Tests.
On either side of McSweeney, his opening partner Usman Khawaja and the No.3 Marnus Labuschagne have been equally incompetent against the new ball with averages of 12.60 and 16.40, respectively.
Yet, McSweeney is renowned for his defiant batting style, leading Australia to play a more attacking batter to partner an already defensive Khawaja. Whether the gamble pays off remains to be seen.
Verdict: The mental edge Bumrah has on a defensive McSweeney may have forced Australia to try a new and more aggressive opener. A 50-50 move that can only be analyzed after the series.
Conclusion
To conclude, Australia have enough data to back up its move to drop Nathan McSweeney. Yet, the timing of it in combination with the adverse circumstances thrown at McSweeney through the first three Tests makes his exclusion highly questionable. The move makes lesser sense, considering Australia's domination over the last two Tests and McSweeney's crucial yet underrated role in both outings.
Final Verdict: Australia have jumped the gun with the dropping of Nathan McSweeney for the final two India Tests.