AUS vs IND: The conundrum got real when Marcus Harris (R) made a fine 74 to stake claim to the second opener’s slot besides Nathan McSweeney. (Reuters)
While preparation for India’s top-order looks in shambles with KL Rahul and Abhimanyu Easwaran struggling, Australia have headaches of their own.
Nathan McSweeney tipped till hours ago to make his Test debut, seemed to have made a hash of his final audition with Australia A, ‘failing to see out the new ball in his first try as an opener leaving the door ajar for Marcus Harris to launch an unlikely late charge and pip him at the post’, according to Sydney Morning Herald. “It would be a shock if both were not in the 13-player Test squad to be named at the end of this game,” the paper wrote.
However, the conundrum got real when Marcus Harris made a fine 74 in tough conditions to stake claim to the second opener’s slot.
The Victorian opener slammed his 47th first class 50 on Friday, despite surviving a confident caught appeal from Tanush Kotian off-break, drifting in before turning sharply. There was debate over whether it was the edge or it came off his guard.
Harris’ 74 came off 138 balls with 5 boundaries, which push the case of the 32- year-old, under overcast conditions and on a green pitch.
Harris had resumed play on Friday on 26 not out, after McSweeney (14) and Cameron Bancroft (3) were dismissed earlier. It’s a three way race to partner Usman Khwaja.
‘Just when chief selector George Bailey and his panel think they have their man, they are made to think again. The race for a spot in the Australian top order has taken a late twist after Nathan McSweeney failed to tick the last box in his audition for a baggy green in Australia A’s clash with India A at the MCG,’ SMH wrote.
‘The manner in which he got out for 14 will have selectors at least wincing,’ the paper added. ‘Caught in two minds, the adopted South Australian poked ever so slightly with an angled bat at a delivery around the fourth or fifth stump channel from three-Test seamer Mukesh Kumar, then tried to withdraw – but not before the ball had caught the outside edge. This is a technical blotch McSweeney will need to iron out if he is to have success at the highest level, particularly given the recent trend in Australia towards pacy Test tracks that offer generous bounce and sharp seam movement,’ SMH further wrote.
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