McSweeney admits to feeling “devastated” after omission from the Australia side for boxing day test in Melbourne.
McSweeney admits of his heartbreak at being dropped from the Australia Test squad after three matches against India.
In the match before the squad was chosen for the first Test, McSweeney, who had never opened for Australia A against India A, was dropped on Friday in favour of 19-year-old Sam Konstas, who is now the front-runner to open on Boxing Day at the MCG.
Despite difficult batting circumstances, McSweeney managed to score 72 runs in six innings, but it seems that the selectors’ desire for greater drive from the top order cost him.
“Yeah, I mean devastated. The dream come true and it fails to work the way I want.” McSweeney told Channel 7 as he flew back to Brisbane from Adelaide. “But it’s all part of it and I’ll get my head down and get back in the nets and work really hard and hopefully be ready to go for the next opportunity.”
Despite having little runs, McSweeney had received plaudits for his ability to absorb overs, particularly during Adelaide’s maiden innings under lights, where he and Marnus Labuschagne survived a pivotal session on the opening day. However, his other five dismissals ranged from 0 to 10.
“It’s the game we’re in,” he said. “If you don’t take an opportunity and you’re not performing as well as you want to, your position’s never safe. So I missed out a few times with the bat and unfortunately wasn’t able to take my opportunity but as I said I’ll work really to make sure that if the opportunity comes round again I’m definitely ready.”
Speaking subsequently to News Corp on arrival in Brisbane, McSweeney detailed the challenges of Bumrah.
“They had seen my results against Bumrah in the first three Tests and George said they wanted to try someone else who has a slightly different skill set and that suits the batting order,” he said. “I faced some balls and spent a bit of time out there so that helped my confidence but I did not get the scores that I wanted. As everyone was saying it probably does not get much harder.”
“I faced some balls and spent a bit of time out there so that helped my confidence but I did not get the scores that I wanted. As everyone was saying it probably does not get much harder.
“But learning on the go is a different challenge. In Sheffield Shield cricket you face a good bowler and you might see him again after Christmas. It’s different and unique playing a five Test series and fronting up against him a week later so you are thinking on the run a lot.”