SYDNEY: Australian opener Nathan McSweeney has vowed to “show everyone what I can do” when the second Test against India begins on familiar territory in Adelaide on Friday.

The 25-year-old was under the spotlight when he made his debut for his country in the first Test of the five-match series last month in Perth.

McSweeney had only ever opened once before at first-class level and he scored 10 and nought as a rampant India won by 295 runs, with fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah his and Australia’s chief tormentor.

“I got two pretty good balls over there in Perth, so I’m not trying to dwell on it too much and look forward to Adelaide,” McSweeney told Cricket Australia’s media arm. “I’ve played well out here, and it’s my home ground,” he said of the Adelaide Oval, which will host the day-night second Test.

“So I’m looking forward to getting in front of a home crowd and most importantly, a wicket that I’ve played heaps of cricket on and that I know really well.”

McSweeney got the nod to open the batting alongside Usman Khawaja in Perth on the back of an impressive start to the domestic season.

Two of his six career Sheffield Shield centuries have come at the Adelaide Oval and he averages just over 43 in first-class games there, according to Cricket Australia.

He admits however that the “pink ball is a little bit new to me”.

“But we’ll be training here under lights a few times this week. So we’ve got some prep to do and I feel like I missed out last match, but my game’s still in a good spot.” He added: “If I can make sure I nail my prep and then spend some time in the middle, I can take great confidence from that.

“The beauty of this series is you don’t have to wait too long to get another opportunity, so definitely take some learnings from Perth and hopefully execute what I want to do here in Adelaide.

“It’s another opportunity for me to go out there and show everyone what I can do.”

Meanwhile, Australian wicket-keeper Alex Carey said the team will draw confidence from their exceptional record in day-night Tests to rebound from their Perth setback.

Australia have won 11 of their 12 pink ball Tests and all seven they have played at Adelaide Oval, including a victory over India in the last home test series when they skittled Virat Kohli’s team for 36.

“We’re excited. We should take a lot - and we do take a lot - of confidence out of our record from pink ball cricket,” Carey told reporters on Tuesday. “It doesn’t mean we’ll have the success but I think our methods, our style of play and the experience we have with this group, we’ll bounce back from Perth.

“I’m sure India will be confident from the last game as well, so it will be a great contest,” added Carey.

Australia’s winning streak in day-night tests was ended in January by the West Indies, who won a cliffhanger by eight runs at the Gabba.

Australia head into the second Test with some concern over the fitness of all-rounder Mitchell Marsh, who pulled up sore after bowling 17 overs in Perth.

Australian media have speculated that Marsh may be retained as a specialist batsman alone, though selectors brought in another all-rounder into the squad in uncapped Beau Webster.

Carey said he thought Marsh would be fit to play and had not heard otherwise from the team.

“His batting has been fantastic since he’s come back into this team and his bowling again -- he took some handy wickets,” he said. “Hopefully he is right and ready to go.”

Published in Dawn, December 4th, 2024