“I’m ready for the challenge”: Nathan McSweeney primed to take on the best in Australian Test debut

Australia’s newest Test opener Nathan McSweeney is ready for the challenge that lies ahead.

The 25-year-old was officially announced as Usman Khawaja’s partner at the top of the order for the first Test against India on Sunday, and the South Australia skipper thinks he’s batting as well as he ever has right now.

The right-hander has started the 2024/25 season with scores of 55, 127 not out, 37, 72 and 137 for his state and added 39, 88 not out, 14 and 25 for Australia A in the two tour matches against India A.

While McSweeney still thinks there’s plenty of improvement in his game, he is certain that he’s ready to be challenged by the best and there’s no doubt he’ll face that against India in Perth.

“In the last month or so I really feel like I'm batting the best I ever have,” McSweeney told SEN Whateley.

“I think I'm the best I've ever been prepared to take this opportunity, so hopefully I can do that. 

“No doubt there's plenty of learning and experiences that I haven't experienced yet and I'm looking forward to learning all about the challenges of Test cricket and challenging my game against the very best. 

“There’s plenty of learning to go and plenty of improvement I hope, but I definitely feel like this is the best I’ve played and I’m ready for the challenge.”

Originally hailing from Queensland, McSweeney has drawn a lot of comparisons to his former state teammate and soon to be Australia teammate Marnus Labuschagne.

Like the Aussie No.3, McSweeney puts decision making at the top of his list for his batting and he hopes that equates to him spending a lot of time in the middle this summer.

“I think decision-making is the most important thing for my game. If I'm making good decisions, I generally get to spend some time out in the middle,” McSweeney said.

“Being an opening batter, it’s making sure I'm leaving the ball well and making the bowlers are bowling to me.

“Then being ready and positive to score when they miss is as simple as I want to make it. 

“If I'm reacting well and doing those things well, hopefully, it equates to me spending time in the middle and chipping away at the scoreboard.”

While McSweeney has faced some serious quality this year at the state level against Nathan Lyon and Michael Neser, his biggest challenge will come against Indian opener Jasprit Bumrah.

The opener admitted he’s already begun looking at clips of all of India’s attack but he’s not expecting to be able to replicate what Bumrah brings in the nets in the lead-up to Perth.

“I’ll definitely dive a lot deeper into it when I get to Perth, but I can't help myself,” McSweeney said.

“I've looked at a few clips of what they're bowling attack stacks up like.

“I’m just trying to visualise how I'm going to go about it. Facing a new bowler can be a slight challenge to just pick up their action.

“I've got a whole week before I head off to Perth so I can get mentally ready and I guess it starts now in preparation to hopefully start really well.

“But there’s probably not (much you can do to replicate what Bumrah brings in the nets).

“Obviously he's got a unique action, he's one of the best bowlers in the world, so it's going to be hard to mimic that, that's for sure. 

“I'm just looking forward to all of that and I can't wait.”

McSweeney will receive his baggy green on Day 1 of the first Test against India in Perth on November 22.