Former Australian cricket captain Michael Clarke has strongly criticized the national selectors’ decision to drop Nathan McSweeney from the squad for the upcoming Boxing Day Test against India in the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy. McSweeney, 25, made his debut for Australia during the recent series in Perth but struggled with the bat in his six innings, scoring 10, 0, 39, 10*, 9, and 4. Despite these low scores, Clarke believes McSweeney should have been given more time to prove himself in the series.
Speaking on the Beyond 23 Cricket podcast, Clarke expressed his disbelief at the selectors’ decision. “Nathan McSweeney has been dropped, and I can’t believe that. No matter who they picked to open the batting, they should have given him the entire series. I think the selectors have got this wrong,” Clarke said. He added that McSweeney’s exclusion was especially surprising given the current form of other players, specifically Usman Khawaja, who has been struggling for runs.
Clarke pointed out that Khawaja, at 38 years old, has not been in good form, which makes his place in the team more questionable. “We have Usman Khawaja, who is 38 years old and hasn’t made any runs. He’s a senior player, but he’s not contributing at the moment,” Clarke said. The former captain argued that, despite McSweeney’s early struggles, he should have been backed for the entire series to help him build confidence and improve his game.
Although McSweeney is not a traditional opener – he typically bats one-down in domestic cricket – Clarke praised his technique and work ethic. He highlighted that McSweeney faced 212 balls in the first three Tests, which was a lot more than Mitchell Marsh (141 balls) and Khawaja (136 balls). Clarke believes this shows McSweeney’s ability to handle pressure and build innings, something selectors should consider when making team selections.
In conclusion, Clarke expressed his surprise and disappointment at McSweeney’s removal from the squad, calling it a missed opportunity for the young player. His comments have sparked debate about the selectors’ decisions, with many agreeing that McSweeney deserved more time to find his form in the Test series.
