NEWS
Follow UsFormer Australia captain Michael Clarke is not happy with Nathan McSweeney being dropped for the final two Tests of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Australia have brought in Sam Konstas in place of McSweeney, who could only manage 72 runs @ 14.40 in the first three Tests. The right-hander had a horrid time against Jasprit Bumrah, getting out to him on four occasions, averaging just 3.8.
“Nathan McSweeney has been dropped. I can’t believe that. No matter who they picked in that opening position, they had to give them the series. I think the selectors have got this wrong. We’ve got Usman Khawaja who is 38 years old, he’s made no runs. He’s a senior player,” Clarke said on the ‘Beyond 23 Cricket’ podcast.
Now, McSweeney is not the only Australian batter who has struggled against Bumrah. The other two in the top-three - Usman Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne - also have an average of less than five against India’s ace paceman. Khawaja has 63 runs in six innings @ 12.60, while Labuschagne has 82 runs @ 16.40.
Also read - Nathan McSweeney’s only fault is that Jasprit Bumrah exists
“You are opening the batting in Perth, day-night Test in Adelaide and the Gabba… toughest places in the world to open. He made an unreal 40 (139) in Adelaide…that will be the toughest batting conditions he will ever face in batting in his career… swing, seam, Bumrah, the number one bowler in the world, running into bowl that was his second Test match,” Clarke said.
“We’ve got Marnus Labuschagne, who we were talking about before the series, before he made a 60. He has made no runs. Smith batted like a genius and made a hard-fought 100 here, but he’s been under pressure. Everyone apart from McSweeney is over 30 years of age, and high 30s.
“Are we going to keep giving youngsters two or three games and then try someone else and keep these older players? What happens if Usman Khawaja retires in two Test matches? Does McSweeney then come back in or does he go to the back of the queue? This could end his career.”
