“If I was a betting man…”: Steve O’Keefe makes his pick for Australia’s next Test opener

Former Australian spinner Steve O’Keefe has made his pick for who he thinks should open the batting with Usman Khawaja against India in the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy series.

O’Keefe thinks there are two ways selectors can go, either with an experienced name that is hoping to make an impact late in their career, or with a fresh face that could be a long-term option.

While the likes of Chris Rogers and Adam Voges thrived after truly having a crack at Test cricket in their 30s, O’Keefe’s money would be on South Australia captain Nathan McSweeney if he were a betting man.

“There are two ways we can go with this,” O’Keefe told Sportsday NSW.

“Chris Rogers was picked after 30 and Adam Voges was picked after 30, they still had 20 or 30 good Tests in them.

“Marcus Harris and Cameron Bancroft know their game inside out, they’ve scored runs all around the country and all around the world. 

“But my money if I was a betting man would be on McSweeney.”

As well as being 25 years of age and a long-term prospect in the baggy green, O’Keefe thinks that McSweeney possesses all of the talent that selectors are looking for and could easily open the batting despite coming in at number three in state cricket.

He also thinks that selectors will love the look of McSweeney’s recent form as he’s made scores of 55, 127 not out, 37 and 72 in his first four Sheffield Shield innings this season and backed that up with 137 in his first One Day domestic match last Friday against Queensland.

“I think he possesses all the talent that Australian cricket is looking for at the moment,” O’Keefe said.

“He’s the captain of his state side, he’s young, he’s in his mid-20s, he captains the Heat in T20 cricket.

“He scored a One Day hundred last week and he went 50 then 100 in the first Shield game, he’s scoring tonnes of runs.

“He controlled Nathan Lyon and and Tanveer Sanga (in his Shield knock) and India are going to come over and be really spin-heavy.

“Bowling against him personally, he took the mickey out of me. 

“I think even though he's a number three, we've seen it happen before with the Australian team, three and opening are very similar.

“Simon Katich stepped up from three and opened, so I wouldn't be surprised to see McSweeney open the batting for Australia in the first Test.”

McSweeney will captain Australia A when the side meets India A in a tour match in Mackay which begins this Thursday.