Brisbane: Australian opener Nathan McSweeney believes he gained enough confidence in Adelaide to “throw a few punches” at Jasprit Bumrah’s bowling this week in Brisbane, but it might not be easy work for the two-Test rookie as the covers were lifted on a green Gabba pitch on Wednesday.
Australia’s players, fresh off a thumping 10-wicket win in the second Test of the Border-Gavaskar series, did not train at the Gabba on Wednesday due to wet weather. Some batsmen, including McSweeney, opted for an indoor hit at the National Cricket Centre next to Allan Border Field.
However, word has filtered back to Australia to prepare for the possibility of a lively and bouncy Gabba surface that some believe shares traits to the famous “green mamba” pitches that used to greet teams in years gone by.
Gabba curator David Sandurski said 75 millimetres of rain fell overnight on Tuesday into Wednesday at the ground, but is confident there is enough time to get the pitch right and that it would not be a two-day Test like it was in 2022 against South Africa.
“We’re still three days out and there’s probably three or four cuts and half-a-dozen rolls on that wicket to go,” Sandurski said ahead of the third Test. “It’ll change a fair bit between now and game day.
“Generally speaking, we still prepare the pitch the exact same way every time to try and get the same good carry, pace and bounce that the Gabba is known for.”
The Gabba pitch on Wednesday, three days out from the third Test.Credit: Nine News
McSweeney plays for South Australia nowadays, but initially honed his craft in Brisbane for Queensland. After scores of 10, 0, 39 and 10 not out to begin his Test career, McSweeney will come out to bat at the Gabba in front of a home crowd with a first-class average of 22.63 from 12 innings at the ground.
“Obviously there has been a bit of [wet] weather the last couple of days up here,” McSweeney told reporters on Wednesday. “The wicket has great bounce. It can seam around, no doubt. If there’s overhead [conditions], it can swing around a little bit. As a batter, you try and prepare for all scenarios.
“It’s a ground I know really well. I’m really looking forward to it. The ticket allocation for me has been exhausted already.”
The 25-year-old’s ability to navigate a difficult late session under lights at Adelaide Oval impressed many astute judges, including David Warner, who is adamant McSweeney can be his long-term successor.
Nathan McSweeney speaks to the media on Wednesday at Allan Border Field.Credit: Getty Images
“He’s had four of probably the five hardest jobs when it comes to an opening batsman, and I think he’s handled it well,” Warner said at a Sydney Thunder media conference.
“There’s a lot of question marks around why they chose him, but [from] the glimpses that you’ve seen, we now know why. He’s got a good temperament – I like the way he sets up, and I think he’s got a good future ahead of him.
“It’s just that this bowling attack from India is relentless.”
McSweeney’s three dismissals in Tests have all been to Bumrah: Two lbw and one caught behind. His innings of 39 was a pleasing improvement, but against Bumrah he certainly doesn’t have an edge yet.
In Perth, Bumrah took 2-4 from 12 balls bowling at McSweeney, before head-to-head match figures of 1-7 from 46 balls against the Australian in Adelaide.
Overall, McSweeney averages 3.7 against Bumrah, but he did help set a platform for Travis Head to hit a hundred with the sun out the next day.
Mitch Marsh is the only batsman in Australia’s top seven who has not been dismissed by Bumrah this series.
“Hopefully I’ll get better the more I face him and I can throw a few more punches hopefully here at the Gabba,” McSweeney said.
“To get a bowler like Jasprit early on in my career, it’s not going to get much tougher than that. I can take some confidence getting through a spell in Adelaide. It’s challenging no doubt, but it’s nice to get a little bit of confidence from that.”
Usman Khawaja and Nathan McSweeney.Credit: Getty Images
Australia and India will have their main training sessions on Thursday, with better weather expected in the lead-up to the Test.
After the scrutiny that came with a concerning defeat in Perth, McSweeney says he feels more settled at international level.
“When you don’t make runs, you’re always disappointed and you’re desperately trying to get a score to cement your spot in the team,” McSweeney said. “I got two pretty good balls there in Perth and on a wicket that was tiring as well. I know that I can withhold a bit of pressure.
“You try and just wear that on the chin and trust that what I’ve been doing has got to be good enough.”
Asked about Warner’s compliment, McSweeney said: “David was an unbelievable player with massive shoes to feel when he left. If I can be half the player he was, I’ll be going all right.”
With Billie Eder
