McSweeney doesn’t need to strike it at 80 like Warner did: Pat Cummins

Perth, Nov 21 (PTI) Rookie opener Nathan McSweeney will be entering his maiden Test series with a lot riding on him, but Australia captain Pat Cummins on Thursday offered him some comforting advice, saying he should focus on playing his natural game and not “imitate” his predecessor — the great David Warner.

McSweeney, 25, will be filling the spot left vacant by the retirement of Warner earlier this year and partner Usman Khawaja at the top of the order in the marquee Border-Gavaskar Test series against India starting here on Friday.

“Davey is very hard to replace, in many ways. I think the most important thing for someone like Nath, who is coming in, is just to play his own game. He doesn’t need to strike it (at), you know, 80 like David did, if that’s not his game,” Cummins said at the pre-match press conference.

“So for them (McSweeney and Khawaja), I would love to see them bring the best out of each other, they have played a little bit and batted a bit together for Queensland. But yeah, I think for both of them, it’s about bringing what they bring to the table.

“You know, for Uzzie, it’s about getting the bowlers to come back and back and back again. And I think Nath is pretty similar in that regard,” Cummins added.

A big fan of the legendary Ricky Ponting, McSweeney has been tasked to open on his Australia debut despite not being a specialist in that position but he remains unfazed ahead of his big test in the series-opener against India.

McSweeney was picked in the squad for the first Test ahead of regular openers including Marcus Harris.

He got a national call-up following a decent outing against India A earlier this month. He bats at number three in domestic cricket.

He faced the formidable trio of Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood in the Australia nets here on Monday and looked in control.

Raised in Brisbane, McSweeney played his junior cricket for Caboolture before graduating to Premier Cricket club Northern Suburbs where he debuted in first grade aged 16.