Nathan McSweeney May Open In India Tests

After David Warner retired, there has been speculation about who would partner Usman Khawaja at the top of the order for Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series.

India will travel Down Under for a five Test encounter beginning on November 22 in Perth.

Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting has revealed his opinion about the batter who should fill the vacant opener's slot, and it's not Sam Konstas.

Ponting had earlier endorsed teenager Konstas to debut against India, but has now changed his mind.

'I was put on the spot about a week ago, and I sort of immediately went to the young guy, Sam Konstas. He had come off back-to-back hundreds against South Australia,' Ponting told Sanjana Ganesan on the latest episode of The ICC Review.

'Then I thought a bit more about it. He is so young and he has probably not even played on grounds like the Optus (Perth) stadium or at the Gabba. He wouldn't have played a pink-ball (match) at the Adelaide Oval either. So there's a lot of things that stack up against the young guy, although there's no doubt that he's got talent,' Ponting added.

'Another thing that I'd said then was that I don't think they'd go back to a (Cameron) Bancroft or (Marcus) because if they're willing to do that they would've done it the last year. So, the only name left for me more or less is Nathan McSweeney, who is Queensland born now playing for South Australia.'

Coming in at No 4 in the first innings against India 'A' on Friday, November 1, McSweeney stabilised the Australia 'A' innings with a sturdy 39 after Sam Konstas (0), Marcus Harris (17) and Cameron Bancroft (0) had fallen cheaply.

McSweeney first attracted notice when he scored plenty of runs at the Under-19 World Cup in New Zealand.

'He has captained Australia 'A' in the past, and he's captaining them now,' Ponting noted, 'So, I'm leaning towards McSweeney now for that opening role at the start of the Australian summer.'

McSweeney, 25, who captains South Australia, scored 291 runs in his previous four innings, which has included a century in the Sheffield Shield and the One-Day Cup.

McSweeney -- whose nickname is 'Buddha' -- also found a supporter in retired wicket-keeper Ian Healy.

'At 25, he's the most ready of the four. The tried and tested Bancroft and Harris are a bit older, and Konstas is a bit younger,' Healy told SEN Afternoons.

'Overall, he's the best suited based on his recent performances.'