McSweeney Expresses Intent to Challenge Bumrah in Third Test

Australian opener Nathan McSweeney, who has accumulated 59 runs in his initial four Test innings, expressed his desire to “throw a few more punches” at Indian fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah during the third Test. This match is set to commence at the Gabba on Saturday at 00:20 GMT. The 25-year-old McSweeney has been dismissed by Bumrah on three occasions across four innings, managing only nine runs against him. Bumrah has taken 12 wickets in the two Tests played, notably achieving a formidable spell of 5-30 during India’s 295-run victory in the first Test in Perth. In contrast, Australia’s Mitchell Starc has secured 11 wickets, with the home side demonstrating dominance in the pink ball Test held in Adelaide. Despite his struggles, McSweeney anticipates that confronting Bumrah’s “unique” bowling style will prove beneficial for his performance throughout the remainder of the series and his overall career. Speaking to Cricket Australia, McSweeney stated, “To get a bowler like Jasprit early on in my career, it’s not going to get much tougher than that.” He further added, “Hopefully I’ll get better the more I face him, and I can throw a few more punches here at the Gabba.” Since David Warner’s retirement, Australia has faced challenges in establishing consistent opening partnerships, with the highest stand being 24 runs between McSweeney and veteran Usman Khawaja in the second Test. Nevertheless, recent strong performances, including a resilient first-innings 64 from number three Marnus Labuschagne and a rapid 140 from Travis Head, are expected to bolster the batting lineup’s confidence, notwithstanding Bumrah’s exceptional bowling. McSweeney elaborated, “Facing him for the first time, he’s quite a unique bowler, so it’s just about adapting to his angle and where he delivers on the crease.” He continued, “I got two pretty good balls from him [in Perth], so I try and just wear that on the chin and trust that what I’ve been doing is going to be good enough. “He got me again in Adelaide but I’m really enjoying the experience of trying to work out a game plan on the run against a world-class bowler.” The third Test is scheduled to commence at 00:20 GMT on Saturday, 14 December. Ball-by-ball commentary for the match will be accessible via BBC Sounds, the BBC Sport website, and its application.