NEWS
Follow UsAfter going the unconventional way in the aftermath of David Warner’s retirement by promoting Steve Smith instead of picking a specialist opener, Australia have stuck with their tactic to pick the best batters in the country rather than specialists for each role by picking South Australia’s Nathan McSweeney as the opener for the first Test against India in Perth.
Prior to this month, McSweeney had never opened in first-class cricket, primarily batting at No.3, No.4 and No.5 for South Australia and Queensland. But the 25-year-old opened for the first time in the second unofficial Test against India ‘A’, and it was eventually he whom the selectors ended up picking for the first Test against India ahead of other specialists like Marcus Harris, Cameron Bancroft and Sam Konstas. This was despite both Harris and Bancroft having made heaps of runs in domestic cricket across the past 18 months.
Admittedly, McSweeney is one of the most in-form batters in the country - averaging 51.29 in first-class cricket this year - but according to Matthew Renshaw, the 25-year-old’s selection might have ‘hurt’ the feelings of specialist openers, who for the third time in as many series have been disregarded in favour of a middle-order batter.
"It feels like every summer there is a circus about something and it is usually about the openers because Australian cricket wants another opener,” Renshaw said on November 17 (Sunday), reported AAP.
"I am really happy for Nathan. I think he is going to do a terrific job but for us openers I think [the decision] last week might have hurt a lot of us.
"We know how tough opening is and the satisfaction of batting for a long period of time is why we do the job, facing the toughest bowlers with a brand new ball at their freshest."
Renshaw might have very well been talking about himself, given the left-hander wasn’t even among the contenders, being snubbed for the unofficial Tests against India ‘A’ in Mackay and Melbourne.
But despite the snub, the 28-year-old believes he is still ‘not too far away’ from Test selection. On Sunday, in the Sheffield Shield clash against Tasmania at the Allan Border Field in Brisbane, Renshaw smashed his first red-ball ton of the year, crafting a patient 120* off 212 balls on a deck where no other Queensland batter managed to cross the 50-run mark. The ton was Renshaw’s 22nd in first-class cricket.
"Definitely. I feel like I am not too far away," he said. "Obviously timing is huge in cricket. I missed my time on this occasion but there will be another time in the future when I have to be ready.
"This is my 10th season now and it feels like I have been through it seven or eight times about this Test spot. I feel like I am getting better and I am happy with where my game is at.”
On the day, Renshaw’s knock featured as many as 12 fours, with the left-hander being at his free-flowing best after getting his eye in. He said that he was pleased with the intent he showed, and insisted that he is now someone who has the self-belief that he can succeed anywhere.
"I felt really good the last few games but every time I have got to the spot where I wanted to I got out, so today once I got in I wanted to make sure I committed to the way I want to play.
"Having good intent really helped me today. I have been drilling into myself that I am a player able do the job in any conditions against any team. I had been trusting that something magic was around the corner and today was that magic."
Renshaw’s last Test came against India in Delhi in 2023, where he served as a concussion substitute for David Warner. His last Test at home came back in 2017 against Pakistan in Sydney, where he smashed a career-best 184.
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