Vaughan Expresses Sympathy for Nathan, Understands Australia's Decision to Drop Him

New Delhi, Dec 22 (NationPress) Former England captain Michael Vaughan expressed his sadness for Nathan McSweeney, who was removed from Australia’s lineup for the upcoming Tests against India, while also acknowledging the reasoning behind the visitors' decision.

McSweeney played as an opener in the initial three Tests against India but managed only 72 runs at an average of 14.40, despite having no prior experience opening in first-class cricket. On Friday, the Australian selectors opted to drop McSweeney and bring in teenage opener Sam Konstas.

"I feel for Nathan, and I believe he will make a comeback — but I completely understand why Australia took this step. I sympathize with the young player, as I don’t think anyone else has faced such a challenging start in Test cricket over the past decade," Vaughan remarked to Fox Sports on Sunday.

"Facing Bumrah under the conditions he has encountered now, especially with the pink ball at night during his second match, has been particularly tough. The conditions in Perth were quite unpredictable, and in Brisbane, the ball was moving a lot. I thought they would retain McSweeney for Melbourne, and if he struggled again, they would then introduce Sam for his home Test at the SCG.

"In the long run, I don’t believe this will negatively impact McSweeney. I think he will eventually establish himself as an Australian Test cricketer, although I see him batting lower in the order, possibly at four or five. If I were McSweeney, I’d want my next chance to wear the baggy green to be in a position where I’ve always played," Vaughan added.

Meanwhile, Konstas gained recognition by scoring two centuries against South Australia in the opening round of the Sheffield Shield. This achievement made him the first teenager to accomplish such a feat in the Sheffield Shield since the legendary Ricky Ponting in 1993.

Konstas was part of the Australian team that won this year’s U19 World Cup in South Africa and also scored a century while representing the Prime Minister's XI against India in a warm-up match with a pink ball at Manuka Oval in Canberra.

When discussing Konstas' ability to face the challenge posed by Jasprit Bumrah, who had troubled McSweeney, Vaughan commented, "Bumrah has been a challenge for many Australian batsmen... but I see Sam Konstas as a future star. He’s clearly talented and youthful, and I believe he will thrive without the burden of past experiences. The worst that could happen is he doesn’t score many runs, which is already happening!

"If he can manage to get an innings against Bumrah’s caliber, we’ll be talking about a truly high-class player. He has a history of scoring centuries from a young age and clearly knows how to do it."

Vaughan concluded by stating that Usman Khawaja is also under significant pressure to perform, and that his partner in the Boxing Day Test at Melbourne, which starts on Thursday, should be a dedicated opener.

"I believe Usman needs to score runs in the next two matches; otherwise, he may not be considered for the tours to Sri Lanka and the West Indies. We need to look towards the future, and it’s crucial to have someone who opens the batting," Vaughan said.