Australia A: Nathan McSweeney says he is up for challenge of opening the batting against India

Nathan McSweeney has declared he is up to opening the batting against Jasprit Bumrah and India’s pace attack as his credentials get put to the test against other contenders.

The South Australian middle-order batter will captain Australia A against India A in McKay from Thursday in a team that also includes Marcus Harris, Cam Bancroft and Sam Konstas.

The four contenders will be locked in what is essentially a bat-off for a spot at the top of the order for Australia in a crucial five-match Test series against India, which begins in Perth on November 22.

And despite being the only one of the four that has never been a full-time opener, McSweeney believes he could face the new ball.

The 25-year-old bats at No.3 for South Australia and says it has left him equipped to face the new ball.

“I am playing probably the best cricket I have. Batting three for South Australia and probably my whole career, I feel like you could be in there the first over of the game, all my prep is against the new ball,” McSweeney said in Queensland on Wednesday.

“I feel like my game is ready and hopefully I get an opportunity. If not, I’ll keep trying to get better and what will be will be.”

But it is expected veteran pair Bancroft and Harris will share the opening duties, with Konstas and McSweeney to slide into the next two positions.

McSweeney said he has handed over the batting order for selectors to settle on.

“I think selectors will have that (sorted) for me. I am quite clear on where I’m batting for this game. It’s a great honour to play for Australia A and I’m happy to bat wherever,” he said.

“Hopefully I can take my opportunity batting where I do. I am not sure what is happening in the next game either, so the selectors will pick that.”

There is a groundswell of support for Bancroft in Western Australia after two years at the top of the domestic game.

In an exclusive interview with The West Australian, close friend Corey Rocchiccioli described the opener as “the first one in and the last one out” in the State program.

“It’s well noted how hard he works. He is the first one in the last one out. When I first got into the system, he sort of showed me how hard you have to work, and in that period of time, that was sort of the time he sort of missed out the year before and got dropped from the West Australian setup.

“That winter and the COVID era, he really just taught me how much playing for West Australian cricket means and the amount of work you have to put in.”

In an exclusive column on Tuesday, former Test coach and legendary opener Justin Langer, said opening was a specialist position and that Bancroft should be the man for the job if he makes runs for Australia A.

McSweeney was coy on the idea of the bat-off, which has been touted for weeks as debate rages over the opening spot and instead pointed to the side losing to New Zealand in Queensland last year.

But he did say he was embracing the talk around the vacant position and saw it as an honour to be in the mix.

“As a kid your dream is to play for Australia and get a baggy green and it’s a great opportunity no doubt,” he said.

“I think being talked about to play for your country is a great honour and I try and embrace that chat.”