Nathan McSweeney and Cameron Bancroft’s failures, Michael Neser’s hamstring strain complicate Test selection

Nathan McSweeney’s bid to earn first test rights against India suffered a blow after he was dismissed cheaply to end day one of Australia A’s clash against India A.

McSweeney was left in the slip for just 14 and was soon joined in the sheds by fellow Test opener Cameron Bancroft; he too managed just three and Australia A finished the day’s play on 2-53 after India A were bowled out for 161. MCG.

The cheap returns of McSweeney and Bancroft will further expand what has become a major headache for the Australian selectors and the team is yet to decide who will start alongside Usman Khawaja when the series against India begins in Perth in 15 days.

Complicating matters further for Australia’s selectors was the injury to Michael Neser, who limped off the MCG with a hamstring injury just a few hours after passing India A’s top order to force himself back into Test contention.

The Queensland bowling all-rounder confused the tourists, who fell to 5-64 at lunch after Australia A captain McSweeney won the toss and elected to bowl first.

However, Neser (4-27) managed just two balls in his 13th over and then, just minutes before the tea break, stood up in pain and walked dejectedly off the field.

Neser will not bowl again for the remainder of the match and will undergo a scan on his left hamstring to determine the damage.

India A were bowled out for 161, thanks almost entirely to wicketkeeper Dhruv Jurel’s stunning unbeaten 80.

Earlier, they had fallen to 4-11 with a chaotic scoreline in the first 16 balls of the match.

Neser took a hat-trick in his first match after dismissing Abhimanyu Easwaran and Sai Sudharsan in consecutive balls.

Ruturaj Gaikwad saved his hat-trick ball but fell in Neser’s next over.

Meanwhile, Scott Boland removed KL Rahul, who had the option of playing against Australia in the opening Test of the Border-Gavaskar series, for just four.

The wickets fell so quickly that the scoreboard at the MCG failed to notice that Rahul had been promoted to open position after being initially listed to bat at No.4.

Rahul was dropped by India’s third Test defeat against New Zealand last week and arrived in Australia early to try to find some form for India A.

Boland said of Rahul on Tuesday: “He’s obviously a world-class player, but we’re hoping we can get on top of him fairly early on and stay on top of him for most of the summer.”

It took just three balls from Boland (1-22) and four in total to remove Rahul from the MCG.

Australia A’s other contenders who share Khawaja at the top of the Test order – Marcus Harris (26 not out) and Sam Konstas (one not out) – will return to the crease hoping to stake their claim when day two begins on Friday.

AAP