"It's fantastic that Nathan gets his opportunity": Matthew Hayden

Former Australian opener Matthew Hayden said that the national team selectors backed themselves into a corner following their decision to pick a nonspecialist opening batsman for the BorderGavaskar TrophyAustralia was in search of an opening batsman after Steve Smith was restored in the middle orderOptions were available in the form of Sam Konastas Marcus Harris and Cameron Bancroft but the selectors decided to hand young Nathan McSweeney his Test debut alongside Usman KhawajaNathan McSweeney who usually bats at number three will surround himself with a new environment when he walks into Perth to open the innings with Usman Khawaja Before speaking about McSweeneys selection Matthew Hayden opened up about Steve Smiths promotion to the opening slotAfter David Warners retirement Steve Smith took the openers responsibility on his shoulders In his opening stint which did not last for much time the righthander accumulated 171 runs with a strike rate of 2850 making it much more of a forgettable runAlso ReadT20I series win in SA special LaxmanThis is exactly my point and why I disagreed with Steve Smith opening the batting It wasnt a slight on Steve Smiths career It was more of a plea and call to action around the domestic system itself Matthew Hayden said as quoted from The Sydney Morning HeraldWith McSweeney entering the fray at least for the series opener Hayden was quick to point out the lack of firstclass cricketNow the Australian selectors have done exactly what I thought was going to happen and that was back themselves into a corner knowing that you had T20s and onedayers right through the early part of 2024 and zero Test match cricket he notedDuring the buildup of the BGT series India A and Australia A played two unofficial Tests allowing both sides to look at probable in case of an unwanted situationIn both games Australia A opener failed to put up a stand big in number McSweeney was among those players who were asked to take a swing at the opening slotAfter hammering an unbeaten 88 in his usual spot the youngster was promoted to the top of the order in the second unofficial Test But the decision was up to no availHe failed to replicate the success he had during the first outing During his time as an opener McSweeney could only post 14 and 25 across both inningsThere has been very little firstclass cricket and two Australia A games where they chopped and changed the opening batters There wasnt one sizeable opening partnershipCan you imagine how Marcus Harris is feeling right now Hes carried the drinks forever and been the incumbent opening batsman and Bancroft is the same We just didnt allow ourselves the luxury of enough time to select on the basis of weight of runs Its something which if you want to quote my situation banging down the door was almost an understatement They were recordbreaking years he saidAs questions continue to linger about Australias newlooking opening pair Matthew Hayden only hopes that McSweeney delivers in one of the most challenging Test seriesI wouldnt have had it any other way because I became a better player Its fantastic that Nathan gets his opportunity and God I hope he bangs down the door at Test match level Matthew Hayden addedWith ANI Inputs