McSweeney urges 'A' batters to give Test selectors headaches

Test contender Nathan McSweeney has declared he's ready for international cricket and hopes he and his Australia A teammates can make the selectors' decisions for the first Test against India as hard as possible.

McSweeney will captain Australia A in two four-day games against India A, the first starting in Mackay on Thursday.

There's currently a vacancy at the top of Australia's Test side following Cameron Green's injury and Steve Smith's move back to No.4 and McSweeney says he'd be confident to do the job despite batting at first drop for most of his career.

The Brisbane-born batter has enjoyed a blistering start to the domestic season for South Australia with centuries in both the Sheffield Shield and One-Day Cup to rocket into contention for a Test debut in the battle for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

But barring another position opening up in Australia's top six, the 25-year-old will have to convince selectors he can open at Test level while batting at No.3 or lower – at least in the first Australia A match.

Marcus Harris and Cameron Bancroft, who have played 24 Tests between them, look set to get first crack as Australia A's openers.

McSweeney and NSW teenager Sam Konstas are also in line to partner Usman Khawaja in the first Test in Perth, starting on November 22.

But the pair will have to push their case from No.3 and No.4.

"I feel like I've been playing some really good cricket, and I feel like my game is progressing each year and hopefully I continue to do that," McSweeney told reporters in Mackay on Wednesday.

"There's so many guys that are playing well and hopefully we can all take (the opportunity) and make it a really hard job for the selectors.

"I'm playing probably the best cricket I have.

"Batting No.3 for South Australia, and pretty much my whole career, it's not too dissimilar to opening.

"All my prep is with the new ball, so I feel like my game's ready.

"Hopefully I can get an opportunity. If not, I'll keep trying to get better."

Australia's white-ball wicketkeeper Josh Inglis had been considered a bolter to make his debut as Test opener, but chairman of selectors George Bailey this week ruled the West Australian out of a shock promotion to the top of the order.

Smith's time as a Test opener lasted just four Tests, with the star veteran sliding back to his preferred No.4 spot after allrounder Green's need for back surgery ruled him out of the summer.

India A's squad features only two players who made the country's Test squad to take on Australia.

Top-order batter Abhimanyu Easwaran and pace-bowling allrounder Nitish Kumar Reddy, who are both uncapped, will try to press their case for selection in the two games against Australia A.

Wicketkeeper Ishan Kishan's two career Tests came against the West Indies last year, while fast bowler Navdeep Saini played in India's famous series-winning triumph against Australia at the Gabba in 2021.

Despite being successful on their last two tours of Australia, the star Indian squad will leave their country under-siege after losing a home Test series against New Zealand for the first time.

Down 2-0, India still have to play the third and final Test – starting on Friday – before travelling to Australia to defend the Border-Gavaskar Trophy they have held since 2017.

There will be just three days off after Mackay before the final 'A' game takes place at the MCG, starting on November 7.

Australia A v India A series

Australia A squad: Nathan McSweeney (c), Cameron Bancroft, Scott Boland, Jordan Buckingham, Cooper Connolly, Ollie Davies, Brendan Doggett, Marcus Harris, Sam Konstas, Nathan McAndrew, Michael Neser, Todd Murphy, Fergus O’Neill, Jimmy Peirson, Josh Philippe, Corey Rocchiccioli, Beau Webster

India A squad: Ruturaj Gaikwad (c), Abhimanyu Easwaran (vc), Sai Sudharsan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Devdutt Padikkal, Ricky Bhui, Baba Indrajith, Ishan Kishan (wk), Abishek Porel (wk), Mukesh Kumar, Khaleel Ahmed, Yash Dayal, Navdeep Saini, Manav Suthar, Tanush Kotian

First first-class match: October 31-November 3: Great Barrier Reef Arena, Mackay (10am AEST)

Second first-class match: November 7-10: MCG, Melbourne (10.30am AEDT)

India v India A intra-squad match

November 15-17: WACA Ground, Perth