BGT: Australia's McSweeney hopeful about "throwing a few more punches" at Bumrah in front of home crowd
Dec 11, 2024
Brisbane [Australia], December 11 : Australia's Nathan McSweeney is confident about "throwing a few more punches" at Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah in front of his home crowd during the third Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
During the day-night Test in Adelaide, McSweeney joined his teammate Usman Khawaja under the lights to see off the opening day.
The Australian bowlers had done their part by restricting India to a modest total of 180. India's swift collapse left the Australian pair facing Bumrah, armed with the new ball, towards the end of the day.
With the floodlights in full effect and the pink ball moving unpredictably, Australia lost Khawaja early, caught off an edge from Bumrah. However, McSweeney ended the day unbeaten with a valuable performance alongside Marnus Labuschagne.
The 25-year-old was dismissed by Bumrah the following morning for 39 off 109 balls. While the scorecard might not reflect it, his innings laid a solid foundation for Australia's eventual success.
Since stepping into the unfamiliar role of an opener during the first Test, McSweeney has struggled against Bumrah.
He was trapped lbw twice in Perth and once in Adelaide, resulting in a dismal record of three dismissals in 46 deliveries for just 11 runs--a stat that underscores Bumrah's dominance.
"To face a bowler like Jasprit early in my career, it doesn't get much tougher than that. I take confidence from surviving a spell in Adelaide," McSweeney said, as quoted by ESPNcricinfo. "The more I face him, the more comfortable I'll become," he added.
"Facing him for the first time--he's quite a unique bowler. He's obviously world-class and different from most bowlers I've faced. It's about adapting to his angle and delivery from the crease. I got two pretty good balls from him [in Perth], so I've just got to wear that on the chin and trust that what I've been doing will be good enough," he explained.
As McSweeney endures a baptism of fire, he acknowledges that the ongoing battle against Bumrah will serve him well in the long run.
"He got me again in Adelaide--he's a great bowler. I'm really enjoying the challenge of figuring out a game plan on the go against a world-class player. Hopefully, I'll improve the more I face him and can throw a few more punches here at the Gabba," McSweeney remarked.
