Nathan McSweeney has won the race to open the batting for Australia in the first Test of the Border Gavaskar Trophy against India in Perth starting November 22, according to Code Sports and Channel 9’s Tom Morris.
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The South Australian captain was promoted to the top of the order for the second Australia A match against India A – which concluded on Saturday – in a move which all but assured the 25-year-old was the clear favourite to fill the void in Australia’s top six left by the injured Cameron Green.
McSweeney scored 14 and 25 against the new ball at the MCG but impressed with 88 not out in a winning run chase in the first match in Mackay to go with two centuries for South Australia – while batting at number three – to start the Sheffield Shield season.
Contenders Marcus Harris and Sam Konstas both scored half-centuries against India A this week, while Cameron Bancroft has endured a nightmare start to the summer, but McSweeney has been preferred to that trio of specialist openers.
Australia’s newest white ball captain Josh Inglis is set to be named as the back-up batter in the squad, and he also offers the ability to take the gloves – as he does in the ODI and T20I sides – as a back-up to Alex Carey.
Australia’s chairman of selectors George Bailey is set to announce the 13-player squad on Sunday morning.
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