Why in-form McSweeney must open for Australia A in MCG dress rehearsal

Ian Healy believes that Nathan McSweeney must open the batting for Australia A against India A this week at the MCG.

The South Australia skipper pressed his case for a Test call-up in last week’s Australia A v India A match in Mackay, top scoring for the home team in both digs with knocks of 39 and 88 not out in the seven-wicket win.

While the 25-year-old won the ‘bat-off’ against fellow Test contenders Marcus Harris, Sam Konstas and Cameron Bancroft in the first match, he did so at number four, which doesn’t marry up to the vacancy at the top of the order.

Given that Australia are looking for an opener to partner Usman Khawaja in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Healy thinks that McSweeney should face the new ball in the second match against India A in somewhat of a dress rehearsal for the first Test in Perth should he be selected.

“That's a great move,” Healy told SENQ Breakfast.

“If he opens against India A this week at the MCG, it’s not a dress rehearsal, it’s in.

“Him to me is now in, but let’s just see, Konstas might make a double hundred against India A at the ‘G and be impossible to leave out.

“But Nathan McSweeney has now been the Australia A captain for a couple of years now … he’s the captaincy type we want to have ready.

“He has to go in before a 19-year-old or a couple of 30-year-olds, and he’s in the best form of all of them.

“He’s got to go in and I’d say he should open, I would definitely give him a go at him opening this week.”

The Australia A v India A match at the MCG begins on Thursday, November 7.

The first of five Border-Gavaskar Trophy Tests begins on Friday, November 22 at Perth’s Optus Stadium.