Nathan McSweeney, a rookie opener for Australia, is poised to make his Test debut in the much-anticipated Border-Gavaskar series against India. As he steps into the shoes of retired cricket legend David Warner, Australia’s captain, Pat Cummins, has advised McSweeney to stick to his natural style of play rather than try to replicate Warner’s aggressive tactics.

Set to open alongside Usman Khawaja at the top of the order, McSweeney’s selection follows his impressive performance against India A. McSweeney, 25, faces a significant challenge in this new role, having not specialized as an opener in domestic cricket, where he usually bats at number three. Despite this, Cummins expressed confidence in the new pairing’s ability to bring out the best in each other, emphasizing the importance of their unique contributions to the team.

McSweeney, who began his cricket journey in Brisbane, has steadily climbed the ranks, debuting for Northern Suburbs at just 16. At a recent practice session, he faced Australia’s formidable trio of Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, and Josh Hazlewood, managing to hold his own. As the series opener looms, McSweeney’s fans and teammates will be watching closely to see how he handles the pressure and carries the team forward.

(With inputs from agencies.)