- McSweeney reveals surprising text he received
- The message was from a former Australian captain.
- McSweeney is getting a lot of support
Nathan McSweeney described it as devastating being dropped from Australia’s Test squad after just three matches, but the amount of support he has been receiving has lifted his spirits.
New South Wales teenage sensation Sam Konstas will replace McSweeney as Usman Khawaja’s starting partner for the Boxing Day Test after being added to Australia’s squad on Friday.
Neither McSweeney nor Khawaja scored above 40 in the first three Tests of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, as India’s attacking weapon Jasprit Bumrah continually blighted Australia’s top order.
McSweeney, who opened for Australia despite batting at No.3 in the Sheffield Shield for South Australia, will join his Brisbane teammates for the Heat’s Big Bash League title defence.
‘Devastated. “I fulfilled the dream and then it didn’t turn out the way I wanted,” the 25-year-old told the Seven Network on Saturday.
“It’s all part of this and I’m going to put my head down and get back in the nets and work really hard, and hopefully I’ll be ready to take my next opportunity.”
Nathan McSweeney has described being dropped from Australia’s Test squad after just three matches as devastating.
McSweeney has received plenty of support, including a text message from former Test captain Michael Clarke.
“It’s the game we’re in. If you don’t take advantage of your opportunity and aren’t performing as well as you’d like, your position will never be secure.” Yo
‘I got lost a few times with the bat.
“Unfortunately, I couldn’t take advantage of my opportunity, but I will work very hard to make sure that if the opportunity presents itself again, I am definitely ready.”
McSweeney finished his first spell as an Australian player with 72 runs at an average of 14.40.
But the right-hander earned plaudits for his 39 in the first innings of Adelaide’s pink-ball Test, surviving a brutal night session with Marnus Labuschagne to help put Australia in the box.
McSweeney has received support from across the cricket world, including a text message from former captain Michael Clarke, News Corp reports.
The young man, who had not met Clarke before, is grateful for the support.
Clarke has fiercely attacked the selection panel for dropping McSweeney.
“It didn’t matter who they picked for that starting position, they had to give him the series,” Clarke said on his Beyond23 podcast.
Clarke has savaged the selection panel for dropping McSweeney
“I think the selectors have made a mistake on this.
‘We have Usman Khawaja, who has just turned 38, (and) Uzzie has not made any runs (63 runs at an average of 12.60 in this series).
‘What if Usman Khawaja retires in two Test matches?
—Does McSweeney come back in or stay at the back of the line?