New Delhi: Nathan McSweeney has disclosed that he received words of encouragement from senior batter Marnus Labuschagne after getting dropped from the Australian Test squad for the remaining two Tests of the Border-Gavaskar series against India.
The 25-year-old, a No.3 batter in Australia’s domestic circuit, was asked to open the innings alongside Usman Khawaja against an Indian bowling attack, led by Jasprit Bumrah.
McSweeney struggled to cope up with the challenge, scoring only 72 innings in the first three matches, falling four out of six times to Bumrah, before getting dropped for the Boxing Day Test at Melbourne.
He has since joined Brisbane Heat to play in the Big Bash League and starred with an unbeaten 78 from just 49 balls to help his team beat Adelaide Strikers by three wickets.
The Gabba witnessed a Nathan McSweeney masterclass 🤌#BBL14 #BringTheHEAT pic.twitter.com/CElKtvnCbI
— Brisbane Heat (@HeatBBL) December 23, 2024
After the match, McSweeney said that Labuschagne’s words comforted him once he was snubbed by the Australian selectors.
“Marnus particularly told me ‘It’s not where you start, it’s where you end’ – it’s a part of a journey, a good story will have its ups & downs – a learning curve,” he said, as quoted by India Today.
Back with a bang in BBL
McSweeney didn’t waste time moaning after he was axed from the Test team. He signed in to play in the BBL for Brisbane Heat and made an instant splash.
He went onto bat when Brisbane were 14/1 after two overs in chase of 175 runs. The right hander put together a 66-run partnership off 39 balls for the third wicket with Matt Renshaw, who scored 54 off 27 balls.
McSweeney guided the team past the finishing line with a sparkling 78 not out from 49 balls as Brisbane won by three wickets.
Nathan McSweeney scored only 72 innings in three Test matches against India and was dropped from the Australian team for the Boxing Day Test at Melbourne. Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
